Fairlawn police respond to active shooter call at Summit Mall Sunday

Fairlawn police responded to a report of an active shooter at Summit Mall just before 2 p.m. Sunday, according to officials.

Upon arrival, officers could not locate any victims, witnesses or a crime scene, according to Fairlawn police.

The mall continued normal operations while officers provided additional security.

Fairlawn police received two calls Sunday regarding a possible active shooter at Summit Mall, but they do not believe there was any malicious intent behind the calls, Lt. Mark Schlegel said Monday. Police believe the callers misconstrued a fire alarm for an active shooter.

No one has been charged with filing a false police report.

"We want to thank the Copley Police Department, Bath Police Department Ohio, Akron Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office and Summit Metro Parks for responding and assisting," the Fairlawn Police Department said in a statement on the department's Facebook page.

The mall has been the site of a couple of scares in recent years.

In October 2022, crowds fled Summit Mall in a panic after a single gunshot was fired into the ceiling. No one was injured in the incident; a male who had a license to carry a concealed weapon told police he and a female companion were attacked by two men in a main corridor in that incident. A bystander said he tried to help break up the scuffle after it appeared the men were trying to wrest the gun away from its holder.

And in August 2022, a man was charged with inducing panic after police said he "brandished" a handgun during a dispute, leading to the mall's evacuation.

Indiana-based Summit Mall owner Simon Properties Group has a no-weapons policy at its shopping centers.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Fairlawn police respond to active shooter call at Summit Mall Sunday