One day after a shooting in the parking lot of Fresno's Fashion Fair Mall sent one person to the hospital, the parking lots and shopping center are packed with busy holiday shoppers.
Saturday, safety was at the forefront of many shoppers' minds.
"I always keep my head on a swivel, like anybody should. If someone's too close, if somebody bumps the bag, always look down," said Nathan Rothe, a holiday shopper.
Law enforcement officers are also taking extra precautions. On Black Friday, they kicked off the annual Operation Christmas Presence, where officers from multiple agencies step up patrol in busy shopping centers through the holiday season.
"We do have our mounted patrol, our motors; our tactical units are now focused a little bit more on the malls," said Lt. Mike Doyle, field commander with the Fresno Police Department.
Law enforcement officers urge people to avoid overloading their arms with bags to avoid being an easy target, don't leave bags in visible areas of the vehicle, and shop in groups when possible.
"Just stick together because there's a big crowd, so we have to stick together and hold hands," added Cecilia Zapata, a holiday shopper.
Officers urge shoppers to do their part to help the public's safety. They say, if you see something suspicious, report it to security officers.
"People get focused on one thing, you know, they got to get this or that. I focus on what I have to do, but I'm also watching everybody around me, just to be safe," Rothe said.
If shoppers feel unsafe getting to a parking lot, many shopping centers have security officers who can walk shoppers to their vehicles.