SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – It was a major scare inside Arden Fair Mall as people were in a panic, and customers were caught in a chaotic situation, fearing the worst after reports of a gunman in the mall Wednesday.

“It was like really scary, especially with all the events that are happening in the past,” shopper Kendall Elin said.

Luckily there was no shooting, but the scene can only be described as chaotic.

“Everybody was just running past us. We didn’t know what was going on, so we ran out the door,” Elin said.

There was panic as thousands tied to make sense of the chaos by the food court. Within moments, the after-Christmas shopping rush turned into an all out stampede for safety.

“Everybody was running,” witness Tre Duncan said. “You could feel the vibration in the store.”

“They closed a gate. All the workers, they were like ‘close the gate, close the gate,’ cause everybody was running to different stores,” shopper Julie Campos said.

The mall mayhem started just before 5 p.m. Wednesday.

“There was a group of juveniles going through the mall, pushing people around and knocking over signs,” Officer Doug Morse said.

The sounds of signs hitting the floor were confused for gunfire, which caused almost instant panic and sent shoppers scrambling.

“One person in the store said that someone shot a gun,” said one witness.

Stores inside the mall followed security measures and locked down.

“Over the loud speaker, they just start screaming ‘get out the mall, get out the mall,’ ” said David Smith.

Police reviewed surveillance video, and saw there were no shots fired, but investigators say the commotion was criminal.

Dremon O’Deal (l), Louis Santiago (r) (credit: Sacramento Police)

Three people, two adults and one juvenile, were arrested and booked for fighting in public. The two adults have been identified as 19-year-old Dremon O’Deal and 18-year-old Louis Santiago. They face charges of fighting in a public place. The third suspect, a 15-year-old male, also faces the same charge.

Arden Fair Mall’s security chief says his team had an eye on the suspects, and decided to kick them out just before the chaos went down.

“It’s situations like this with the high volume of people that we do train for,” Morse said.

Mall officials say their security team trains each year with police for an active shooter situation, and works with Homeland Security on how to use surveillance to spot problems before they start.

However, with the recent mall shooting in Portland, and the Connecticut elementary school tragedy, it’s clear everyone was on high alert.

“My son said ‘mom you got really scared.’ You take that seriously because you just never know when there is going to be a shooting, you just don’t know,” shopper Patrice Thomason-Bell said.

Stores can have employees take a class about what to do in an active shooter situation. There is also an alert system at the mall. If the message goes out, all businesses must close. It’s unclear if that alert went out, but it appears that many of the stores did shut down.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Now hiring! A new upscale restaurant is moving into the Arden Fair Mall, and people are flocking to get one of the new jobs.

Even though the busy holiday hiring season is over, the swanky chain restaurant Seasons 52, which opens for business later this month, is looking to fill over 100 jobs with benefits, and thousands of applicants are hoping to snag one of them.

Seasons 52 isn’t open yet, but it’s already seeing plenty of people come through its doors. It’s the chain’s first Northern California location.

Thousands are hungry for a job at the restaurant.

The director of operations says they’ve received over 3,000 applications since they started their online hiring process 10 days ago. But only about 100 will land a spot cooking, serving, bartending or hosting.

The positions do come with medical and dental care, and 401(k) plans. The hiring team says people from all backgrounds and skill levels have applied.

“I’m looking for a second job. I am trying to put myself through nursing school,” applicant Michelle Estrada said. “I already work at BJ’s over there, so I thought it would be an easy shift over here.”

“People are looking for good, steady jobs. We’re hoping to provide them with that experience. Hopefully, it’ll be the last job they have to look for,” Director of Operations Rikin Lakhani said.

Construction crews are still putting the finishing touches on the restaurant, which opens Jan. 28.

Seasons 52 serves American contemporary food.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Arden Fair Mall video surveillance footage helped Sacramento police track down two men they suspect are responsible for hundreds of vehicle burglaries.

Surveillance shows the suspects backing into an open space. One man pops the lock of a car, and then the trunk while the driver waits. The man then casually cleans the trunk out.

“To the average eye, you’d think, ‘oh he’s just unloading stuff.’ You wouldn’t think he was committing a car burglary,” Arden Fair Mall Security Chief Steve Reed said.

Arden Fair Mall security advised police on Jan. 31 that they captured the suspects on video breaking into multiple vehicles in the mall’s parking lot.

Javier Garcia, left, and Dominic Eales (source: Sacramento Police Department)

After investigating and reviewing the video surveillance footage, police identified Javier Garcia, 25, and Dominic Eales, 19, as the suspects. They were arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with burglary and conspiracy. They were released from the Sacramento County Jail on bond later that day.

Police say then men have done this routine hundreds of times.

“People gotta eat. They ain’t got jobs, that’s the only way they can get money. I can’t knock ‘em for it,” said one man.

Investigators think they’re responsible for hundreds of car break-ins across the Sacramento region in the past year.

Eales’ mom said her 19-year-old son wasn’t home when CBS13 knocked. She did seem to know all about the charges he faces.

“(Police) told us it was four, not hundreds,” Eales’ mother said, adding that she is disappointed in her son.

During the course of the investigation, officers located a vehicle seen in the surveillance video and were able to locate stolen property taken during the burglaries.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Security was increased following Wednesday’s shooting at Aden Fair Mall, while investigators continued to search for the suspects.

Arden Fair Mall security says that anybody that comes and goes through its doors will feel safe because of the police presence that will be very noticeable.

“I’m really confident about it,” said shopper Zen Mendes.

Mall security, along with the Sacramento Police Department, is patrolling the property Thursday.

“We want people to know that we have a surveillance system that catches everything,” said Mall Security Manager Steve Reed.

Suspects are still on the loose just a day after at least five shots were fired. Crime tape lined the parking lot and left bullet holes in cars Wednesday afternoon. However, people still showed up to shop Thursday.

“It’s an isolated event, I think; and people will continue to come to the mall,” said shopper Peter Juhos.

But shoppers may be more cautious about their surroundings.

“Be careful and watch your back, and be close to each other and be safe,” shopper Linda Davis said.

A fight inside the mall that spilled out in the parking lot, leading to shots fired just isn’t keeping people away.

“People get desensitized to a degree about the level of crime and violence that happens in the city; and they go about their daily routine. I’m not going to be threatened by stuff like that in my world,” said shopper Peter Juhlos.

For one shopper, he knows the mall is handling the situation.

“I’m sure they have contingency plans that are set in place,” said Mendes. “I’ve always felt safe here.”

Mall security tells CBS13 that the Arden Fair Mall is one of the safest malls in the country.

At this time, investigators are not releasing surveillance video of the shooting.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Around the world the lines are around the block, as thousands line up outside Apple stores for the latest iPhone release.

Singer Tom Petty put it best when he said “waiting is the hardest part.” But, finally, the waiting is over for all those waiting in line.

Each person in line received a special greeting from the employees at the Arden Fair Mall Apple store.

Everybody in line had a different story.

“Getting a phone so my wife won’t kill me,” said one man.

One person waited nearly 24 hours just to be the first in line for the new phone.

Two new iPhones were released Friday, the 5s and the 5c.

“Going from a 32 bit operating system to a 64 bit operation, it’s huge for me,” said one customer.

There are more than double the colors to choose from too as Apple unveiled more colors than the traditional black and white.

Users also love the new way of unlocking the phone. Instead of typing a code in, the 5s offers a new sensor that reads your fingerprint to unlock the phone.

READ: iPhone 5S Fingerprint Scanner Attracts Hackers

“People try to steal my phone, my girlfriend Wendy; it’s a good thing she can’t get in my phone. No one can get in my phone except me,” said one man.

The camera does as well, which is supposed to be better and faster according to Apple.

The cost of the iPhone 5s starts at $199 with a 2-year contract with a cellphone carrier. Without a contract, the price for the phone begins at $649.

Arden Fair Mall says there were no problems with the people waiting in line, and it’s always an enjoyable experience to have Apple fanatics at the mall.

Apple fans may have a good reason for worrying whether they’ll be able to get the latest iPhone. U.S. carriers are reporting stock of the new phone will be limited. It appears the gold and silver models will be harder to get, potentially leaving the grey models on shelves.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Despite being pink, some people are seeing red over the name of a lipstick sold at Sephora.

The name of this lipstick is Celebutard. After considerable backlash, Sephora has promised to pull the product and apologized. But tonight, I went to a local Sephora and found it’s still on the shelves.

Sephora’s lipstick line by Kat Von D features racy names like Backstage Bambi, Underage Red and Lolita.

But Celebutard — we think you can probably figure out what it means – went one shade too far.

“I think it’s a bad business move. A lot of people will be offended by it,” said Sephora customer Neijahna Robinson.

Critics say the name makes light of people with disabilities.

One furious ex-customer tweeted this at the company:

@SEPHORA, you've gotten my last $$. No more. Shame on you. mostlytruestuff.com/2013/11/celebu…—
Nicholette Harris (@oodlesofbling) November 07, 2013

Another tweet was aimed at Kat Von D:

https://twitter.com/thethomps/status/398164131531878400

“If I do have a friend that has a disability, it would because it’s like, why wear it or why would they say it about that person?” said Robinson.

The backlash grew so loud that Sephora apologized, pulling Celebutard off store shelves — or so we were made to think by this email sent by the company.

“It has come to our attention that the name of one shade of a lipstick we carry has caused offense to some of our clients and others. We are deeply sorry for that, and we have ceased sale of that shade both in our stores and online,” according to a Sephora company statement.

But at the Sephora in Arden Fair Mall it was still for sale. When we asked the manager about why it was there, she said she hadn’t been told by corporate to take it down.

Nick: “It looks like you still have it here now, but you’re saying you haven’t heard anything about that.”

Manager: “Are you videotaping right now?”

Nick: “Yeah, we are.”

Manager: “OK. Hold on please,”

The manager refused to answer our questions about the banned lipstick that at least in one Sephora store remained on the shelves.

We followed up with a corporate spokesperson about why it was still being sold and have yet to hear back.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Investigators released surveillance images of a suspected ring thief who may have robbed two jewelry stores in as many days last month.

The Sacramento Police Department said suspect — described as a black male adult, approximately 28 to 32 years old, about 6’1” and 175 pounds — used the same tactic to snatch expensive jewelry at a department store on K Street and a jewelry store in Arden Fair Mall on June 28 and June 29.

Surveillance video from Arden Fair Mall shows the suspect studiously keeping his head down when he walked into DeVons Jewelers and approached employee Tom Carson, asking to see a ring for his wife.

After spending about 15 minutes in the store, the suspect suddenly bolted, fleeing the store and sprinting out of the mall with a diamond ring.

“It’s valued over $6,000,” Carson said. “It’s very beautiful and we only made three.”

Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact Crime Alert by calling (916) 443-HELP or texting 274637 with SACTIP at the beginning of the message.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man was arrested after witnesses spotted him masturbating at a mall food court while staring at a group of young girls, according to authorities.

Steve Youmans, 39, admitted to CBS13 in an interview Sunday night that he gave in to a “sudden urge” and apologized, insisting he has never done any similar acts before.

“I just want to apologize to the families,” Youmans said. “It was totally wrong.”

Arden Fair Mall security chief Steve Reed said witnesses alerted security officers Saturday after spotting Youmans sitting in the mall food court, groping himself and trying to hide his actions underneath a newspaper.

“We certainly don’t want our customers to be exposed to that kind of conduct,” Reed said.

Surveillance video recorded mall security detaining Youmans after the suspect unsuccessfully attempted to flee.

Youmans spent the night in custody and said he will seek psychological help to prevent further indecent behavior.

“I just want to get on with my life because I’ve got two little boys, one who’s five, one who’s three,” he said. “I didn’t mean to harm anybody by doing this.”

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento Police are investigating a stabbing at Arden Fair Mall during the early morning hours of Black Friday.

Police were called by mall security just before 2:30 a.m. saying that a person had been stabbed outside the Macy’s store.

Officers arrived to find a victim suffering from a non-life threatening stab wound to his midsection. He was transported to a local hospital.

Mall security reported the victim and his friends has gotten into a verbal fight with another group of shoppers before the stabbing.

No arrests have been made.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A robbery subject described as “foaming at the mouth” was caught running from the Sears department store at Arden Fair Mall after reportedly robbing two teens at gunpoint earlier on Saturday.

Thabit Shaff, 18, was seen by a Sacramento Police officer running from security officers behind the mall. He assisted and Shaff was arrested at about 9:15 p.m. Security said Shaff was observed shoplifting in the the store.

A search of Shaff discovered a revolver and property from a robbery earlier in the day in which two juvenile victims reported that they were walking on Arden Way near Business 80 when the subject robbed them at gun point.

Foaming at the mouth, Shaff allegedly demanded the victims’ cell phones, shoes and belts, then fled on foot toward the mall.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The day after Christmas, shoppers were back at the malls making all those returns for gifts they weren’t so jolly about and also look for those day-after deals.

The National Retail Federation projects American shoppers will bring back more than 46 billion dollars worth of presents this year.

Shoppers are also out for deep discounts. By Monday afternoon, thousands packed in at Arden Fair Mall and others were hitting the Downtown{ Plaza looking to cash in.

CBS13′s Derek Shore was out talking to shoppers. Watch his report:

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Another dog was pulled out of a parked vehicle at Arden Fair Mall on Wednesday afternoon after security said it got to well over 100 degrees inside.

“It was going up between 109 and 124,” Animal Control Officer Julian Reynaga said of the reading inside the man’s Honda Pilot SUV.

A dog is walked out of the Arden Fair Mall by its owner after being pulled out of the man’s hot vehicle on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. (credit: CBS13)

Arden Fair security cameras show the dog was inside the vehicle for an hour and a half.

The dog owner returned to his car and found the dog wasn’t there. Mall security removed the dog after getting a complaint from a customer and heat gun readings that showed temperatures inside topped a 110.

“It was not 110 degrees in the car,” the owner said when he returned.

“Sir, I have a (temperature) gun and shot it inside. It was 110 on three separate occasions” Reynaga responded.

The windows were down and there was food and water, but mall security said the dog was feeling the effects of the 90-plus degree heat outside.

“He was panting heavily, very uncomfortable, having trouble getting his breath,” said Steve Reed, the mall’s security manager.

The owner, who was fined $200 and returned his dog, didn’t think he did anything wrong, and Animal Control says there’s a common misconception that leaving the windows down is enough.

“Leaving the windows down is not going to make a difference since the dog’s in the direct sunlight,” Reynaga said. “It’s pretty dangerous on these type of days.”

With five of these cases so far this year mall security says, the message is pretty simple.

“I would tell them not to bring their best friend,” Reed said.

CARMICHAEL (CBS13) – Prominent Sacramento businessman Morton Friedman died Wednesday after battling a brain disease. The well-known lawyer and philanthropist was 80 years old.

Morton Friedman (courtesy photo)

Friedman represented plaintiffs in the 1972 Farrell’s disaster when a plane crashed into the ice cream parlor, killing 22.

He’s also well known for redeveloping Arden Fair Mall and bringing the first Nordstrom store to Sacramento.

“For more than five decades Mort was a giant in Sacramento, a man whose contributions to our community forever changed its landscape and its spirit,” Congressman Doris Matsui said in a statement. “He was also a devoted husband to his wife Marcy, a dedicated father to his three sons, and a fierce friend to all of us who were lucky enough to carry that title.”

Matsui noted Friedman’s contributions to the Crocker Art Museum, the UC Davis MIND Institute, the Sacramento Symphony and other local organizations and and his steadfast support for Sacramento’s Institute for Advancing Unity made Sacramento “a better place to live.”

Friedman, who earned business and law degrees from Stanford, is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marcy, and three sons. He and his wife made their home in Carmichael. They moved to the area in 1957.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the Friedman-Lichter Sanctuary at Mosaic Law Congregation, 2300 Sierra Boulevard, Sacramento.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the following organizations:

• The Shalom School, 2320 Sierra Boulevard; Sacramento, CA 95825
• The Mosaic Law Congregation, 2300 Sierra Boulevard; Sacramento, CA 95825
• The Crocker Art Museum, 216 O Street; Sacramento, CA 95814

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento Police are investigating a break-in at the Nordstrom store at Arden Fair Mall.

Police tell CBS13 that three suspects were able to pry open a side door and make their way into the store. The suspects were then able to pocket a large amount of jewelry before quickly taking off.

An employee apparently interrupted the suspects while inside the store, according to police.

Dispatchers got the call about the break-in at 3:47 a.m., but the suspects were already gone by the time officers arrived at 3:51 a.m.

Surveillance footage of the suspects (Credit: Sacramento Police)

The exact dollar amount of the jewelry stolen has not been given.

Police do not have immediate descriptions of the suspects, but say that they will be reviewing the mall’s security cameras.

Investigators are looking into whether the incident is related to similar crimes throughout the region, Doug Morse with the Sacramento Police Department told CBS13.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Police are crediting Arden Fair Mall’s security system with helping them catch a suspicious subject early Friday afternoon.

Officers showed up near the mall just after 12:30 p.m., according to information from the Sacramento Police Department, looking for a wanted man. Using the mall’s “elaborate” surveillance system, as police characterize it, the man was soon located nearby.

The man’s car was stopped and a search of the vehicle uncovered some drugs.

Police have not fully identified the man, but they say the 28-year-old has been booked for outstanding warrants and drug possession charges.

The mall’s security system is notoriously thorough, as reported by CBS13 in the past.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Protesters took to Arden Fair mall on the busiest shopping day of the year to speak out against what they said is the injustice of a police officer not being indicted for the shooting death of a teen.

Things started peacefully with protesters wanting their voices to be heard with a simple message: stop police brutality.

“Black and brown youth are getting shot down every single day. A black man dies every 28 hours at the hands of law enforcement or security issues,” said protester Estevan Hernandez.

At around 6 p.m., Sacramento Police spokesman Doug Morse says protesters got out of hand and started to block traffic on Arden Way, forcing them to make arrests.

“We gave a disperse order several times, a lawful disperse order and they refused to get out of the street,” he said.

Five people were arrested in the protest; two of them were minors.

Police say at one point, the protesters blocked the entrance to the mall as well, forcing mall security to lock up some doors, and shoppers having to find another way out.

But shoppers CBS13 spoke to say it stop them from doing what they were here to do.

“They seemed harmless,” said Kwame Hamid. “They seemed harmless. They all seemed like young kids worried about their safety with the police department.”

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento police officers were out at Arden Fair Mall Saturday to deter potential thieves.

Officers patrolled inside and outside the mall with mall security to keep thieves from striking.

This year alone, police say they have arrested more than 200 shoplifters in or near the mall.

Police say they see a spike in theft during the holiday season.

“We have between two and three officers that normally work the mall during the year,” said Officer Justin Brown. “During the holiday season, we’ve increased to eight.”

Officers did not say how many arrests were made Saturday, but they say it was so successful they plan to hold more shoplifting stings soon.

More Stories:

• Arden Fair Mall Security Uses Lessons Learned In Previous Brawl To Diffuse Situation
• 2 Teens Arrested After Fight That Closed Arden Fair Mall Early
• Police Hold Shoplifting Sting At Arden Fair Mall
• Sacramento Ferguson Protest At Arden Fair Mall Largely Peaceful, 5 Arrested
• Police Credit Arden Fair Mall Surveillance For Catching Suspicious Subject

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Police say that two teens were arrested after Friday’s disturbance at Arden Fair Mall.

“Separate skirmishes” involving teens occurred in the mall on Friday evening, prompting the need for the mall to shut down early, mall security spokesman Steve Reed said.

Saturday, police identified one of the teens arrested as 18-year-old Oscar Armendarez. A second teen was arrested, but due to him being underage the police department has not released his identity.

Armendarez and the second teen are facing resisting arrest charges.

More Stories

• Arden Fair Mall Security Uses Lessons Learned In Previous Brawl To Diffuse Situation
• 2 Teens Arrested After Fight That Closed Arden Fair Mall Early
• Police Hold Shoplifting Sting At Arden Fair Mall
• Sacramento Ferguson Protest At Arden Fair Mall Largely Peaceful, 5 Arrested
• Police Credit Arden Fair Mall Surveillance For Catching Suspicious Subject

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