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Kyree J. Truax was driving a friend who was stabbed during the melee in the food court at the Destiny USA mall to an area hospital when the crash occurred, they said.
While Truax exchanged information with the bus driver, an ambulance took his friend to the hospital, Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner told reporters on Saturday.
Truax then went to the hospital, where police nabbed him, he said.
Truax is charged with assault, reckless endangerment and weapons possession, the chief said.
Destiny USA closed for the rest of the evening but reopened for business on Saturday.
The fight broke out around 7 p.m., authorities said.
His friend had been stabbed in the arm, surveillance video shows, when Truax pulled out a handgun, fired at someone and ran off, they said.
The sound of gunfire sent some rushing in panic and left others briefly sheltered in place.
The 20-year-old shooting victim was hospitalized after being struck twice in the leg, Buckner said. His injuries weren't considered life-threatening, the chief said.
Truax had another person with him as he drove the stabbing victim to the hospital in his mother's sedan, authorities said.
The speeding Chrysler 300 then hit a bus in downtown Syracuse, where nearly 2,000 people had gathered for a tree-lighting ceremony, they said.
Truax eventually followed the ambulance carrying his companion, police said.
"People are leaving Destiny USA running and screaming," Trish Kilgannon tweeted shortly before 8 p.m. " There was a shooting near the food court & they are evacuating the mall."
"[It] was probably the worst experience of my entire life," wrote Misty Bardin. "Especially not knowing what was going on and with everything happening so fast. Everyone was running and no one knew what was going on.
"I never thought I would be in that situation where there would be a shooting so close," Bardin added. "On the drive home all I could do was think about how scary it was and how fast it happened. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I was any closer."
Syracuse police requested a recall of all off-duty personnel and additional resources from nearby communities, a responder there told Daily Voice.
The Onondaga Sheriff's Office and New York State Police were also requested.
Pyramid Management Group, which also owns Palisades Center in West Nyack, issued a statement late Friday:
“This evening’s unfortunate and isolated incident at Destiny USA was between two known acquaintances and not a random act or part of any intentional threat against the property. The altercation resulted in the discharge of a firearm inside our facility and injury to one of the two individuals. Law enforcement officials and Destiny USA personnel were already onsite at the time of the incident inside the facility, and along with our tenants, immediately engaged in a comprehensive, routinely practiced and programmed response to address the incident. As such, Destiny USA immediately went into lockdown. At this time, no arrest has been made, but law enforcement officials are confident the suspect has vacated the property. As such, the facility is no longer in lock down, and all guests and tenants will be allowed to vacate the property. Destiny USA will be closing for the evening and reopening in the morning while we work closely with law enforcement officials in the full investigation of this incident.”
Last year, two people were stabbed in the Macy's at Destiny USA.
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