Suspect arrested in San Bernardino mall shooting - fired gun with 4-year-old in car, police say

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- A 23-year-old man has been arrested in a shooting at the San Bernardino mall that sent shoppers into a panic - and police say his 4-year-old child was with him when he fired his gun.

Pablo Estrada, 23, of San Bernardino is accused of shooting a person in the parking lot outside the mall's food court area around 1 p.m. on Sept. 30.

Investigators say Estrada and the alleged victim were involved in some kind of confrontation inside the mall first.

Then Estrada sat in a car driven by an unidentified woman and waited for the victim to leave the food court. Police say Estrada's 4-year-old child was inside the vehicle "as he indiscriminately fired his weapon."

Detectives were able to identify Estrada as the suspected shooter through surveillance video and statements by witnesses and the victim. Detectives obtained a warrant and searched his home, finding further evidence linking him to the shooting.

Estrada was arrested Wednesday and booked on a charge of attempted murder.

The victim was hospitalized after the shooting with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

The shooting caused panic inside the mall among shoppers, with some running for cover or into stores to hide.

"All of a sudden we turned around and everyone was running toward the end of the mall," said shopper Veronica Henson, who was inside the mall's Foot Locker with her granddaughter.