By Steve Gorman

(Reuters] – On Friday night, gun violence broke out in North Carolina’s and Washington’s retail locations crowded with Post-Thanksgiving shoppers. Police said that seven people were injured and fled the scene.

Three people were injured and two others killed in a shootout at a Durham shopping center. It was between “two groups that knew each other”. Chief Patrice Andrews, Durham Police, said.

One of the those wounded was a 10-year-old boy, but Andrews described the injuries sustained by all six people hurt in the melee as non-life-threatening.

According to her, it wasn’t immediately known if the victims were part of the gunfire and the majority of people involved had fled from the scene. One was however taken into custody.

Andrews stated, “This isn’t an instance where somebody came into the shopping mall and just started shooting randomly.” She also said that additional arrests were possible. Andrews informed reporters that one weapon had been recovered.

WRAL-TV in Raleigh was told by a department store worker that six shots were heard through the shopping mall. This triggered a rush of Black Friday shoppers to the nearest exit.

“A lot people began running my direction, and when I heard them all, I also started to run,” he said to the television station.

As law enforcement entered the mall, they locked it down at Streets of Southpoint and forced it to be evacuated.

According to police, a national security officer had shot and killed a suspect in an attempt to steal merchandise from Walmart (NYSE:). The shooting occurred during an altercation that took place in Kennewick.

As the suspect was walking out of the shop, he pointed a gun at an officer. Police say that the officer opened fire on the suspect and pulled his weapon. He fled from the scene, but was eventually arrested at a neighboring home.

Police stated that the suspect was taken to a local hospital by his family for treatment. He had nine outstanding warrants on him and is now facing additional charges of robbery as well as assault.

Walmart did not sustain any injuries. According to local media, panic erupted at Walmart after the shooting. The store was closed right away and reopened several hours later.