Authorities in Houston, Texas are trying to identify a masked man who caused panic and chaos at a shopping mall over the weekend. The man walked into the Memorial City Mall and put on a red mask to cover his face. He then made his way to the food court, where he jumped onto a table and yelled that he was going to kill himself. The suspect then dropped a bag on the ground as panicked customers began to run for cover.
Cell phone video captured the chaos inside the mall as people believed there was an active shooter. Customers took shelter inside stores, where employees guided them to the store rooms in the back.
In one video, people started running for their lives after hearing a loud banging noise which they mistook for gunshots. Police say that no shots were fired and the sound was the result of the suspect jumping onto the table.
Two people suffered minor injuries during the stampede.
The man was able to escape the mall and was seen fleeing toward a nearby apartment complex. A bomb-sniffing dog was brought in to inspect the package the suspect dropped but did not find any evidence of explosives.
Authorities have asked the public for any help locating the man and have released surveillance footage from the mall, hoping somebody will recognize him. Officials say he could face charges of making terroristic threats.
"We don't take this type of thing lightly," said Houston Police Assistant Chief Sheryl Victorian.