Three dead after masked gunman opens fire at Portland shopping centre

Police exit the Clackamas Town Centre shopping mall in Portland, Oregon (Reuters)

A US mall shooting that left three people dead and forced hundreds of Christmas shoppers to flee in terror appears to have been a random attack, authorities said today.

The masked gunman, who was one of the three dead at the mall in Portland, Oregon, was seemingly targeting "anyone who was in his line of sight," according to Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts.

"It was very apparent that he had a mission set forth to really take the lives of people in that mall," Roberts said.

Police said they have tentatively identified the gunman, but would not release his name.

The Tuesday afternoon shooting at the busy mall started shortly after a man in a white mask carrying a rifle and wearing a bulletproof vest said: "I am the shooter," according to Austin Patty, 20, who works at a department store.

A series of rapid-fire shots followed as Christmas music continued to play.

Witnesses said the suspect fired several times near the mall food court until the rifle jammed. He then dropped a magazine onto the floor and ran into the Macy's store.

Some were close enough to the shooter to feel the percussion of his gun.

"I saw a gentleman face down, obviously shot in the head," said Jason DeCosta, the manager of company with a display on the mall's ground floor.

"A lot of blood. You could tell there was nothing you could do for him."

Mr DeCosta said he also saw a woman on the floor who had been shot in the chest.

Officials said a woman was also shot and was in critical condition at a Portland hospital.

"We have a young lady in the hospital fighting for her life right now," Sheriff Roberts said at a news conference.

Police Lt James Rhodes said the gunman was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities went store-to-store to confirm that there was only one shooter, he added.

The mall Santa, Brance Wilson, said he heard gunshots and dived to the floor. By the time he looked up, seconds later, everyone around him had cleared out. Parents with children joined other shoppers rushing to stores' backrooms for safety.

"Santa will be back," Mr Wilson said. "It's not going to keep Santa away from the mall."

Shaun Wik, 20, said he was Christmas shopping with his girlfriend and opened a fortune cookie at the food court. Inside was written: "Live for today. Remember yesterday. Think of tomorrow."

As he read it, he heard three shots. He heard a man he believes was the gunman shout, "Get down!" But Wik and his girlfriend ran. He heard seven or eight more shots.

"If I had looked back, I might not be standing here," Mr Wik said.

AP