‘Armed person’: Shopping centre locked down

A major shopping centre in Adelaide has gone into lockdown following reports of an armed person.

Shoppers at the Westfield Marion centre were evacuated on Sunday afternoon and South Australia Police has asked the public to stay away from the area.

Video circulating on social media shows heavily armed SWAT officers storming into the centre.

Sirens can be heard going off in the centre as shoppers scramble to flee.

Other footage from the centre posted to social media shows people locked down and waiting in the Target staffroom.

It is understood the armed person was spotted in the centre’s David Jones store.

“Police are aware of an incident occurring at Westfield Marion Shopping Centre,” a police spokesman said.

“Numerous police patrols are in attendance.

“At this point in time, police advise the public to stay away from the area.”

A photo from the scene shows a billboard warning: “Armed Offender: Escape, Hide, Tell”.

One shopper, posting to social media, writes: “I’m in here, they are evacuating everyone in here”.

Photos from the scene show armed police officers inside the building and worried shoppers who have fled the centre.

Another shopper told reporters of the chaos that unfolded.

“We could just saw random people running everywhere, and my friend grabbed me and we just ran out here,” he said.

Numerous stores, including Woolworths and Rebel Sport, immediately shuttered their doors on the alert to keep shoppers safe.

One shopper, writing to social media, said the scene turned into “absolute bedlam” after the alert sounded.

“The alert was so quiet and took until the 3rd one to realise,” she said.

“We were in the movies with the two kids and it wasn’t until the third one she said weapon David Jones and so shook up.

“We ran out the fire escape as one of the first from the whole cinemas and were left to find an escape. Just opening doors to find which one gets to the carport.”

Chloe Andrews posted to social media from inside a locked up Kmart stock room.

“I came to Marion to buy a new bin, and it’s ended with myself and like 200 other people in Kmart’s stock room as there is someone armed with a weapon in Marion,” she said.

“So anyone thinking of heading this way…just don’t. I’m petrified”.

Families are now waiting outside the centre to collect their loved ones.

SA Ambulance have reported two injuries from the centre: a female in her 70s with a shoulder injury and a person in their 30s with a knee injury.

Paramedics are still on scene, an SA Ambulance spokeswoman told NewsWire.

The shopping centre is owned by Scentre Group, same company that runs Westfield Bondi, the scene of a horrific mass murder event in April.

In a statement, the company said the centre would be closed today, but would reopen for trade on Monday.

“The safety of our customers, business partners and people is our highest priority,” a Westfield Marion spokesman said.

“Our team have been providing their full support to SA Police this afternoon who attended an incident at Westfield Marion. For a brief period SA Police were in full control of the site.

“SA Police have since advised it is safe for customers to leave the centre.

“We are not aware of any injuries. Any inquiries at this stage should be directed to SA Police.

“Please note, Westfield Marion closed at 5pm today, in line with normal trading hours, and will re-open for trade as normal tomorrow.”

Westfield Marion is the largest shopping centre in South Australia, located about 15km from the Adelaide CBD in the city’s southern suburbs.

Police conducted an active armed offender training drill at the centre in mid-June.

Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval will address media at 5.30pm at Marion Shopping Centre to provide an update on the incident.

More to come