CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- A gunman who shot and killed five women in a clothing store at a suburban Chicago strip mall Saturday remains at large, police said.
Police investigate the scene of a shooting at the Brookside shopping center in Tinley Park, Illinois.
The motive for the shooting at the Lane Bryant store was a robbery that "at some point went rather poorly," said Tinley Park police Sgt. T.J. Grady.
All of the victims -- ranging in age from 22 to 37 -- were found in a back room of the store, he said. Their identities were not released.
"This is a very serious and sensitive investigation," Tinley Park Police Chief Michael O'Connell said Saturday evening.
At least one of the victims was a Lane Bryant employee, O'Connell said. The store did not have a security camera, he added.
A 911 call reporting the shooting came in at 10:44 a.m., Grady told reporters.
The shopping center was locked down while stores were thoroughly searched. It was reopened after police determined the gunman had left the area. Watch police describe the crime scene »
Shoppers described a tense situation after the shooting.
"I was so scared I couldn't think," said Selena Kujawa, who was in a Target store across from the Lane Bryant store, according to The Associated Press.
She and other customers watched as police checked aisles with weapons drawn, the AP reported. There was a similar scene in a pet supply store nearby.
"Six police entered the store with their hands on their gun holsters," Tracy Caccavella told the AP.
The gunman was described as an African-American man, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing between 230 and 260 pounds, Grady said. He was wearing a waist-length black winter coat, a black cap and dark jeans.
Authorities believe there was only one shooter, Grady said. Helicopters helped in the search for the gunman, who is no longer believed to be in the immediate area, he said.
Authorities were downloading surveillance video from businesses within a mile and a half of the Lane Bryant store to see if any cameras captured the gunman.
Police appealed to the public for help, urging anyone with information to contact police at 708-444-5368.
The Chicago Tribune reported the shopping center is just south of Interstate 80 and contains a Super Target, a Kohl's clothing store and several restaurants.
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"Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess." ~ Edna Woolman Chase
A friend of our families was one of the young women killed here, her husband is devastated right now. Please keep all these families in your thoughts at prayers right now, they could use them dearly.
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I'm thinking balls are to men what purses are to women. It's just a little bag, but we feel naked in public without it.
Carrie Bradshaw
I'm so sorry, Collette. We'll be thinking about your friends and their loved ones.
What is the deal? Who robs a Lane Bryant on a Saturday morning? These stores deposit their money every night (or at least they should). I guess there is no point in trying to apply logic to this despicable, disgusting, and utterly sad act. Those poor women were working their asses of in retail, and this is how society thanks them. Sick.
I was thinking, too, who pays with cash anymore, especially at clothing stores? I can't imagine there would be too much cash on hand...
I was also remembering when I managed a store, whenever I was in a hurry to open the safe, I would always struggle with it and have to try repeatedly. It used to cross my mind, what if I was being held up? I would probably not be able to get the safe opened quickly. Sometimes I think about taking a part time job, but I remember how vulnerable I felt in that store, especially when I was alone, which was often since we were short staffed. I dealt with perverts, shoplifters, general creepy people, etc. I used to be afraid that someone would hide in a corner when I was locking up at night. Never again!
I just read that it was the manager and 4 customers. So sad and wrong.
Not to ramble, but 3 former coworkers of my mother lost loved ones in the Von Maur shooting. A couple of my friends knew people who were injured.
A friend of our families was one of the young women killed here, her husband is devastated right now. Please keep all these families in your thoughts at prayers right now, they could use them dearly.
I'm so sorry, Collette -- I can't even begin to imagine...
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"Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess." ~ Edna Woolman Chase