Shooting at Tulare outlets injures pair in a car

• “The investigators are following up on leads on this case.”
• “He was in shock mode.”
• “It had multiple bullet holes on the driver’s side.”

A shooting early Sunday morning at the Tulare Outlets Center left two people injured and detectives searching for a lone gunman.

Police said a 28-yer-old man from Lindsay and a 23-year-old woman, who were in a vehicle, were shot at as they left the shopping center after having watched a movie at Tulare’s Galaxy 10.

Sgt. Andrew Garcia said the shooting victims, who were contacted at the am/pm gas station at Prosperity Avenue and Mooney Boulevard, suffered non-life threatening injuries and were released after getting medical treatment.

No names were released.

Garcia said the vehicle the victims were in had bullet hole damage as well as a shattered windshield.

“It had multiple bullet holes on the driver’s side,” he said.

Initially, the shooting was reported at 12:30 a.m. at the shopping center, Garcia said. A second call to report the shooting was received a few minutes later.

Garcia said the shooting victims left the scene to seek safety. The gas station is located less than two miles away from the outlets.

Gas station manager Roger Dahlival said the man was bleeding from his right arm and used the station’s bathroom to clean up before police arrived.

“He was in shock mode,” Dahlival said.

Emergency personnel showed up moments later.

“They took him to the hospital,” Dahlival said.

Police also asked to view video from the gas station.

“They called me. They wanted to see the video if there was anything suspicious,” Dahlival said.

When the vehicle arrived, Dahlival said there were two customers pumping gas and there was one inside the store.

“It was a slow night,” he said. “This was like around 12:30 [a.m. on Sunday].”

Garcia said detectives stored the vehicle, a Lincoln LS, to search for evidence.

The shooter was described as a man wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, Garcia added. He left the scene in an undetermined direction. No further physical description was provided.

Police said an on-scene investigation located spent casings. Garcia said a police report didn’t include the caliber.

Detectives have been assigned to the case, Garcia said. No arrests have been made. The case is being investigated as an assault with a deadly weapon.

“The investigators are following up on leads on this case,” Garcia said.

The investigation so far indicates it was not gang-related.

“It was a random act,” Garcia said.

Police said the outlet center is a safe location.

Tulare Capt. Matt Machado said Sunday appeared to be a busy day at the shopping center.

“I had a great time at the movie theater,” Machado said. “I took my children there. I felt safe.”

By late Monday morning, there were no remnants of the police activity from the incident. Shoppers walked from store to store.

A phone call seeking comment from theater officials was referred to the company’s corporate offices in southern California. A phone message was not returned Monday afternoon.

A phone message left for Patty Rocha, Tulare Outlet Center general manager, was also not returned Monday afternoon.