BATON ROUGE - One person was killed and nine were injured during a mass shooting Thursday when two groups of people got into an argument in the Mall of Louisiana's food court and opened fire. 

"It does not appear to be a random act of violence," Police Chief T.J. Morse said. "Two groups of people got into an argument at the food court and started shooting at each other." It appears bystanders were among those hurt, the police chief said.

Mayor Sid Edwards praised the police response and was saddened at the violence. "The devil lives everywhere," the mayor said.

Law enforcement officials said one person had died from the violence. Details weren't immediately available.

The mall was closed, and the Baton Rouge General Hospital, which is across Bluebonnet Boulevard from the mall, was on lockdown for around an hour Thursday afternoon. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, about a mile away from the mall, said their emergency rooms were open but visitors and guests were asked to stay away.

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A WBRZ employee at the mall said she and others were herded with employees into the maze of tunnels that run among the mall's stores and taken to a holding area, pending a head count of patrons. Outside, rifle-toting police officers could be seen escorting families to their cars.

"I drove up and walked in right after the shooting," WBRZ producer Nikki Lee said. "There was already a helicopter and already lots of police officers going through the parking lots. I asked someone when I walked in the store and she said she had heard shots maybe three minutes before i walked in."

The incident began at 1:22 p.m., Morse said. There was no ongoing threat, he said.

East Baton Rouge Parish deputies, State Police and the FBI responded in addition to the Baton Rouge Police.

The Mall of Louisiana is a major hub for city buses serving the southern half of East Baton Rouge Parish. After the shooting, police could be seen boarding buses parked on the outskirts of the mall's property, presumably searching for suspects. Bus service in the area was delayed well into the afternoon.