Security guard fires gun during attempted robbery at Glendale Galleria jewelry store: ‘This is not an active shooter’

A security guard at the Glendale Galleria fired a gun Saturday afternoon trying to stop an attempted “smash-and-grab” robbery of a jewelry store, authorities said.

Three suspects entered Bhindi Jewelers with miniature sledgehammers and began breaking glass jewelry displays, said Glendale Police Sgt. Dan Suttles. A mall guard nearby fired two or three rounds toward the suspects, but no one was reported wounded.

Police arrested one suspect, who was not named, but two others got away. Authorities initially reported they had arrested multiple suspects.

Even so, Suttles said, there’s no risk to the public.

“We don’t believe there’s any danger to public,” Suttles said. “This is not an active shooter.”

Videos posted to social media show people running out of the mall during the incident as police swarmed the area. Some yelled that there had been a shooting.

Investigators don’t believe the suspects were armed. It’s unclear whether the two who are at large made off with any merchandise.

In smash-and-grab robberies, thieves enter a store, quickly smash display cases and grab as many items as they can before fleeing, Suttles said.

“They go in, start breaking glass, grabbing jewelry as fast as they can,” he said.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

UPDATES:

4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with more information from authorities.

This article was originally published at 3:35 p.m.