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Cameras To Be Installed At South Hills Village Before End Of The Year

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- After a shooting threat at South Hills Village, the mall said another layer of security will be added soon.

A statement shared by South Hills Village on Wednesday said in part, "As a further enhancement to our security program, we plan on installing CCTV cameras before the end of the year at both South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall."

Simon Properties owns South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall.

A shopping day at South Hills Village turned into a nightmare on Tuesday. Police said Lance Crowley walked into Macy's carrying a duffle bag and told an employee, "There is going to be a mass shooting."

lance crowley
(Photo: Bethel Park Police/Facebook)

Police told KDKA there were security cameras in Macy's, but none inside the mall itself.

Bethel Park Police Chief Timothy O'Connor said cameras would have helped as officers tried to track down Crowley. As police swarmed the mall, some stores sheltered in place and some shoppers took cover.

"Any public space that you're having more than 20 people, if you have money for it, it needs to have cameras. Anything could happen," said Ashley Welker, who was at South Hills Village during Tuesday's incident.

Here is the full statement released by South Hills Village:

"The safety of our shoppers, retailers and associates are our top priority. Our proactive and preventative security programs and measures include off duty police officers and a private security force that actively patrol the interior and exterior of the shopping center, along with working closely with local law enforcement and retailers to prepare for potential emergencies. These measures have allowed us to achieve Homeland Department of Security safety certification. We are grateful this incident was swiftly handled by the Bethel Park Police Department, who did not order a lockdown since they had a visual on the suspect and were in the process of apprehending him. As a further enhancement to our security program, we plan on installing CCTV cameras before the end of the year at both South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall."

Back in May at Ross Park Mall, there was a fight and shots fired incident. Police had said their investigation was difficult without security cameras.

In June after the shots fired incident at Ross Park Mall, Simon Properties said it would install cameras at South Hills Village and Ross Park Mall but did not announce when.

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