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 See photos of investigators at the scene of the shooting at Michaels. (QuickTime required)
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The 43-year-old victim, who has not been identified, was taken by ambulance to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, then later transferred by helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Her condition was not known.
The shooting occurred about 2:30 p.m., outside Michaels Arts & Crafts, which is near the front of the mall off State Route 3.
Auhorities at the scene said the woman was loading purchases into the back of her mini-van when she was shot in the back.
Police said the shot came from the other side of the mall entrance, in the vicinity of a Pizza Hut.
There was no immediate information about a possible suspect. Police said witnesses saw a mid-side gray or silver sedan speeding away from the mall seconds after the shooting.
The shooting was similar to the series of shootings that occurred Wednesday and Thursday in Montgomery County, Md., but authorities were not confirming a link.
Area police, however, were stopping vehicles similar to the one being sought in Maryland--a white van or panel truck.
During the shooting spree in Montgomery, a shot was fired into a Michaels, but no one was struck. Five others were fatally shot later in Montgomery.
Montgomery County police were sending investigators to Spotsylvania to see if the cases could be linked.
The shooting led to rumors of a sniper in the Fredericksburg area and some local schools went into a lock-down mode and summoned police to make sure students were safe.
See tomorrow's Free Lance-Star for additional stories.