Armed police have surrounded a block of flats after gunshots were seen being fired from a top floor apartment.
Residents claim a man with two guns was firing from a balcony this morning.
Terrified pedestrians and shoppers ran for cover in the Dockside Outlet Centre at Chatham Maritime as panic erupted.
A police helicopter has also been spotted circling the area, while Kent Police are urging people to stay away.
A woman, whose mother works in the shopping centre, wrote: "Just had a phonecall from my Mum who works at The Range, AVOID DOCKSIDE.
"There is a man with 2 guns shooting from the flats by dockside. They have had to get all of the customers into the centre. They are currently waiting for the police."
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In a later comment she added: "The police have now arrived in their riot gear. Mum said there is definitely no social distancing going on in The Range now."
Another man wrote online: " For anyone that lives near chatham dockside or is heading there to go shopping. AVOID at all costs. A man is randomly shooting at people from the flats towards the car parks at the shopping centre. Please don't go there and stay safe!"
Kent Police confirmed they are at the scene and road closures are in place.
Police spokesman Martin Very said: "Kent Police was called at 8.35am on Wednesday, April 22 to a disturbance at a flat on Dock Head Road, Chatham.
"Members of the public reported seeing a man on a balcony with weapons and patrols, including armed officers, are at the scene making enquiries."
A video shared on Twitter appears to show a person firing a weapon from a top floor of a building.
A separate video describes the man as possessing a 'machine gun, a hand gun and a rifle'.
A neighbour who lives close to the mall told Kent Online: "There was a lot of banging just over an hour ago, I just assumed it was construction workers.
"There was armed police outside The Range who waved everyone back, they moved towards the noise.
"Someone across the way shouted about someone having a gun. "
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