2 teens shot at Southdale Mall

The two boys, 15 and 18, were shot in the mall parking lot Friday evening during a fight that Edina police called gang-related.

Last update: February 28, 2009 - 7:36 AM

Two teenage boys were shot in a Southdale mall parking lot Friday evening during a fight that Edina police called gang-related.

The two teens -- a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old -- were shot in the lot outside the J.C. Penney store shortly after 6 p.m. and were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

One was shot in the leg and was not seriously injured. The other was shot in the abdomen and was in surgery late Friday, Police Chief Mike Siitari said. He said he was unsure of the condition of the teen with the abdominal wound and did not know which boy he was.

At least four shots from a .45-caliber handgun were fired during the clash between the rival Hispanic groups, Siitari said. When the shooting started, people in the parking lot -- customers and the teens involved in the fight -- scattered and ran.

The shooter is believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. He ran from the scene, but Siitari said it was unclear whether he might have jumped into a car. Police and mall security officials were reviewing tapes from security cameras late Friday, seeking clues to the shooter's identity.

No arrests had been made as of late Friday, the chief said, and he said it was unclear how many people had been involved in the fight. The names and hometowns of the two injured teens were not immediately available.

PATRICE RELERFORD

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