North Carolina Mall shooting
Emergency services have arrived at the scene of a shooting at a mall Twitter

At least one person is thought to be dead after a shooting at a mall in Charlotte, North Carolina. WBTV reported that a gunman has been shot and killed. Other media reported that at least one person was injured, suffering a leg injury.

Dozens of police vehicles have converged on the area after reports of 'multiple shots' being fired in the shopping complex near an Apple store. Firefighters and paramedics have arrived at the scene.

The shooting is believed to have occurred after an altercation at the mall, Shauntelle Hamrick, the manager of the Journeys shoe store, told CNN. During the fight someone pulled a gun and a friend of the man was shot. An off-duty police officer at the scene shot the gunman dead.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Division issued a statement saying: "Preliminary info on scene signifies that an argument began contained in the mall between two teams of topics round 2:00 p.m., at which level officers who have been working off-obligation on the mall arrived on scene," CMPD officers stated in a press release.

"There was one armed topic that was shot in the course of the altercation and he was pronounced deceased on scene by Medic. No officers have been injured throughout this capturing."

The Northlake Mall in Charlotte was packed with Christmas shoppers at the time of the incident. Eyewitness Donald Campbell told television station WCNC that he heard multiple shots and was swept up in a crush of people running from the scene. "I just think it is crazy what is going on here," he said.

A Macy's worker at the mall said: "It was just pure pandemonium, just the frightening look on people faces made me realise this is something serious. The first thing I did was run to the storage unit, the second thing I did was hide in the storage unit, the third thing, If I had to I would have fought"' she said. "I'm shaken up a little bit, I have to admit, but I'm here, I'm just thankful to be alive."

The suspect was shot by Officer Thomas Ferguson, who "fired his service weapon". The suspect received medical aid, but died shortly afterwards. The assailant was identified as Daquan Antonio Westbrook, 18.