Shots fired inside Rocky Mount mall

At about 7 p.m., several shots were reported near the inside entrance to Best Buy, Rocky Mount police Capt. Laura Fahnestock said.

Upon investigating the gunshots, officers identified suspects running from the mall, across U.S. Highway 301 to the Auto Bell Car Wash, Fahnestock said.

An off-duty officer apprehended one of the suspects at that location. An additional suspect was located in the same area a few minutes later. After further investigation, a third suspect was detained behind Star City at Hilltop Plaza.

Jennifer Bowden, 39, of Nashville, was inside the Best Buy store shopping for a digital camera when the shooting happened. She said she didn't see anything. As a result Bowden says she is unable to identify any of the shooters.

Bowden did hear gunshots, which prompted everyone inside the store to begin running.

"That was the craziest thing that I have ever been through in my life," she said.

There were no reports of injuries. A wall and glass doors inside the mall did sustain some damage.

The mall was temporarily closed as part of a lock down to ensure the safety of the public, Fahnestock said.

The suspects were later identified as a 14-year-old, a 15-year-old and 16-year-old Murray Chamberlin of Rocky Mount.

The 14-year-old and Chamberlin were charged with resist, obstruct or delay, Fahnestock said. The 15-year-old was still being questioned by police late Saturday.

The investigating was ongoing, Fahnestock said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Rocky Mount police at 252-972-1411 or Crime Stoppers at 252-977-1111.