Burlington mall shooting: Police release image of suspect in killing of five people

Officers launched a search after the shooting happened in a Macy's store

Police said the suspect was believed to be an Hispanic man (CNN)

A manhunt is continuing in the northwest United States after a gunman entered a shopping mall and opened fire - killing five people and sparking terror in the region. Police have issued an image of the suspect, but the motive for the shooting remains unclear.

Official said that the man entered the Cascade Mall in Burlington, in Washington state, at around 7pm on Friday evening and started shooting with what is believed to rifle. The city is located 60 miles from Seattle.

Four women were killed in the attack in the cosmetics section of the mall’s Macy’s department store. A man who was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries died overnight, bringing the death toll to five.

Four women were killed in the cosmetics section of Macy's (AP)

Washington State Patrol spokesman Mark Francis said that police and rescue crews worked their way through the mall, clearing stores and evacuating shoppers, some of whom, according to local media, locked themselves in dressing rooms.

Lt Chris Cammock of the Mount Vernon Police Department said at media briefing on Saturday that the rifle was later recovered at the mall. He said officials were still searching for clues as to what may have lay behind the attack.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes and confusion when the shooting started

Brandi Montreuil told CNN she was watching a movie at the mall when attendants suddenly told them to leave.

“I didn’t know anything,” she said. “The attendant came in and apologised for stopping the movie and said they were asked to have everyone leave immediately.”

Police spent the night searching for the gunman, who fled the scene and was last scene on a nearby highway. Police said that man was described as an “Hispanic male wearing gray”.

As the search was carried out for the suspect, who has not been identified, was last seen walking toward a nearby highway away from the mall.

“Tragedy has struck in Washington tonight. Our hearts are in Burlington,” Governor Jay Inslee said on Twitter.

Police told residents to stay inside as they hunted for the gunman (AP)

The shooting comes less than a week after a man stabbed nine people at a mall in central Minnesota before being shot dead. The FBI is investigating that attack as a potential act of terrorism.

“At this time, the FBI has no information to suggest additional attacks planned in Washignton State,” said the Washington State Patrol.

Ms Montreuil said that when they left the mall, they saw police vehicles but no officers in sight.

“We didn't know if it was a fire so we were looking for smoke of some kind. Then a few officers started canvassing through the crowds, asking if anybody saw anything,” she said.

A bus transported survivors to a nearby church as authorities warned people to stay indoors and avoid the mall area.