Four other people, including a Boise police officer, were injured, Lee said at a media briefing. The suspect was also wounded and is in critical condition, police said later in a news release. The officer was treated and released, officials said.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 1:50 p.m. “with reports that at least one person was shot and down,” Lee said.
Shortly after responding, officers found a person matching the suspect’s description and there was an exchange of gunfire that resulted in the officer’s injury. The police statement said the shootout took place outside the mall.
Police are sure there was only one shooter involved, Lee said.
Police said they are in the process of notifying family members of the people involved.
Officers were going from one merchant to the next clearing each business, police added.
Lee said most of the mall — which has 153 stores, according to its website — has been cleared.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little said the shooting is “unthinkable” and he was praying for the people who were injured. He said the state was ready help police investigate the shooting.
Lee said a county task force would investigate the officer-involved part of the shooting.
Two people killed and officer among four injured in Boise mall shooting, police say