Washington, Feb.3 : FIVE women were shot dead at a suburban clothing shop in Chicago on Saturday.

Chicago Police said that the women were shot dead by a man at a Lane Bryant shop at the Brookside Marketplace,and thereafter, he escaped.

Police Sergeant T.J. Grady was quoted as saying that his oOfficers found the victims inside the mall after getting a 911 call around 10.45 a.m.

"No motive has been established," Grady said. "Every store was immediately canvassed and a search by air too has given us every indication that the offender has left the scene."

The shop was open at the time of the shootings. Grady declined to say whether the victims were customers or employees. He gave no ages and said authorities are still trying to reach the victims' families.

Police were allowing some shoppers into parts of the strip mall late Saturday, but had cordoned off the store.

The small red and brown brick Lane Bryant is part of a cluster of four or five stores isolated on one side of a large blacktop parking lot, with big box stores including Target and a Best Buy several hundred yards away.

ANI