The search was on for a gunman Friday night who opened fire inside a mall in Washington state north of Seattle, killing three women and critically injuring a man, officials said.
Authorities initially had put the death toll at four, but later said the male victim was "probably going to be fatal." Another woman sustained non-life threatening injuries.
It was unclear if the victims inside a Macy's at the Cascade Mall in Burlington were targeted, or if it was a random act of violence, Washington State Trooper Rick Johnson said.
Multiple agencies were engaged in trying to track down the unidentified suspect, Johnson said, adding that there is "just a lot of law enforcement in the area."
"Right now, we can’t assume anything," he told CNN.
The gunman was described as being Latino and wearing a dark shirt. Authorities also believe he acted alone and was armed with a rifle.
Sgt. Mark Francis with the Washington State Patrol said the shooter left the scene before police arrived after getting reports of shots fired at around 7 p.m.
After initially clearing the mall of any further danger, first-responders began entering the building to tend to an unknown number of wounded inside, officials said.
Officials with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms were also en route to the scene.
Washington's governor also expressed condolences on Twitter.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.
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