Florida mall explosion: Manhunt under way after pipe bombs detonated in shopping centre

A manhunt is under way after two pipe bombs exploded at a shopping centre, police in Florida said.

No one was hurt and no shoppers were near the devices when they detonated at the Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales, around 30 miles east of Tampa.

The mall was evacuated following the explosions, which went off at around 5.30pm in a small corridor which is off limits to the public.

Lakes Wales Deputy Police Chief Troy Schulze told reporters: “It’s very concerning to us.

“We’re a family-orientated community. This is a family-oriented mall. When this started, my son was actually working here at this mall…

“People [were] here shopping, just enjoying a Sunday afternoon or evening with their families, and literally, boom.”

He said around 100 people were in the shopping centre at the time and that it was fortunate no one was close to the explosions, which caused a small fire.

He added that the incident was not being treated as terrorism “at this time”, and said witnesses had reported seeing a stocky, white middle-aged man running from the scene, who was being sought as a “person of interest”.