Maya Rajgopal
Shoppers rush toward the exits at Westfield Valley Fair on Black Friday after police responded to a shooting that wounded three people and sent the mall into lockdown and evacuation. According to sophomore Maya Rajgopal, the experience changed how safe she feels in public spaces. “That one day made me realize anything can happen at any time to make you feel unsafe,” she said.
Shoppers rushed toward the exits at Westfield Valley Fair on Black Friday after police responded to reports of a shooting inside the mall, prompting a large evacuation. According to San Francisco Chronicle, three people were shot and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the mall was shut down for hours while officers cleared the building — leaving Palo Alto High School students shaken.
Students across Paly are still coming to terms with the shooting, which disrupted what is normally one of the busiest shopping nights of the year — Black Friday — and sent waves of fear through the community.
According to sophomore Maya Rajgopal, who was inside Valley Fair when the chaos began, the incident was scary.
“Everyone was screaming there’s a shooter and to hide,” Rajgopal said. “It was especially scary because I didn’t know where the shooter was or anything about it.”
Rajgopal said the event also influenced how often she plans to visit Valley Fair.
“I don’t think I will anytime soon because of the way it made me feel last time I went,” she said.
Even though she still spends time with friends, Rajgopal said her comfort level about being with them in public has shifted.
“I don’t know if I can ever feel 100% safe at a mall or even in generally crowded public places,” Rajgopal said. “The experience I had at Valley Fair changed the way I feel in public areas.”
For some students, the event felt distant but still alarming.
According to freshman Enzo Lawant, he was concerned for the people at the mall.
“My first thoughts were, ‘Is everyone okay?’” Lawant said.”When I’m going not to just malls, but in public, we all need to be aware of our surroundings and stay safe, even in a town such as Palo Alto because you never really know what’s going to happen.”
Lawant said the incident will not change his daily life much, though he understands why others might feel differently.
“I don’t think this event has changed anything for me personally,” Lawant said. “I do feel safe personally, although there are people out there who can’t defend themselves and could feel threatened.”
According to ABC7 News, authorities say a 17-year-old suspect has since been arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault with a semi-automatic firearm. Prosecutors are seeking to have the case tried in adult court because of the severity of the charges.
CBS News commented that the shooting stemmed from an argument between the suspect and another man outside of a Macy’s store; two other victims — a woman and a 16-year-old girl — were hit by stray bullets. Police say the shooting was “an isolated incident” and not an active-shooter situation.
According to SF Gate, the mall was evacuated store by store by law enforcement and remained closed for the evening; it reopened at noon the next day.
The responses from Rajgopal, Lawant, and other students reflect a larger feeling across campus — that familiar social spaces like the mall, once “safe” and ordinary, can suddenly become unpredictable.
Despite the unease, students say they still want Valley Fair and other local spots to remain places where teens can gather comfortably.
Lawant hopes that greater safety efforts and clear communication will help rebuild that sense of trust over time.
“I expect malls will strengthen security measures in response to the recurring events,” source said. “This increased security may lead people to feel safer when visiting the mall now.”