A daytime shooting in the parking lot of an Atlanta, Ga. mall has police seeking answers and a male suspect.

Cobb County Police Sgt. Dana Pierce said an unidentified man and woman engaged in a confrontation in the parking lot of the Cumberland Mall in northwest Atlanta on Monday. The argument ended abruptly when the man reached for a gun.

The male suspect shot the woman with whom he had been arguing. The shooter fired at a bystander who attempted to help the wounded victim. The man then turned and shot the woman a second time.

Eyewitnesses to the shooting claim the male climbed into the passenger side of a white van and fled the scene. Pierce stated that it’s not known if the man was in fact the passenger or driver of the vehicle in question.

The bystander was not injured in the shooting; the bullet missed and apparently hit the wall of a nearby department store.

As of now, the condition of the female victim is unknown.

The mall where the shooting took place was described as relatively busy at the time, leading to nearly two dozen cars being cordoned off during early investigative efforts.

According to Pierce, the shooting has been determined to have not been a random event; it clearly stemmed from a conflict between the shooter and the victim.

Pierce also stated that it is not known why the man and woman were engaged in a confrontation or why the suspect shot the victim.

Police are currently seeking the male suspect, who is described as a heavyset black male who appears to be in his fifties and have short black hair. The man also said to have been wearing glasses, a gray shirt, and a blue hat.

The white van in which he left the scene is has a ladder fitted on the roof of the vehicle and is described having a white tube running from front to back.

Anyone with information about the suspect and shooting is encouraged to contact Atlanta law enforcement officials immediately.

Image via Wikimedia Commons