Less than a mile away from UVM’s campus, gunshots fired by an unknown individual Monday night injured one at the Dorset Street University Mall, according to the South Burlington Police.

The shooting, which took place around 5 p.m. Feb. 1, occurred following a dispute between a group of people in the mall, injuring a bystander not involved in the argument, according to a press release issued by the South Burlington Police.

According to a Feb. 1 VTDigger article, the injured individual was quickly taken to the UVM Medical Center with a minor gunshot wound presumably from a bullet shell projectile, said Shawn Burke, South Burlington police chief. 

After responding officers from several local police departments and federal agencies including UVM Police Services thoroughly searched the premises it was determined that the shooter had already left the scene and has not since been identified. 

The investigation is still in “infancy,” according to the South Burlington Police. 

UVM students received a campus alert at 6:09 p.m. advising them to avoid the area of the shooting, about an hour after the conflict took place. Another alert was sent out at 8:43 p.m., over two hours later, stating that the police had cleared the area. 

Additionally, the press release stated that the scene caused a tumult of panic and confusion among bystanders in the mall, causing a lot of “congested traffic.” 

According to several Facebook posts a number of individuals who were in the mall when the shooting happened hid in utility closets and behind buildings before being escorted out by police. 

Over a dozen fire trucks, police cars and emergency vehicles were present at the parking lot for hours following the shooting and potential mall shoppers were turned away by the police, according to the VTDigger article. 

The South Burlington Police Department encourages anyone with additional information to contact them at any time.