Bulletproof vest saves life of Yorkdale Mall security guard

Two male teens one age 15 and the other 17 have been arrested in connection with Thursday's mid-afternoon shooting at Yorkdale Mall.

A security guard wearingabulletproof vestwas shot in the chest.

Toronto police say mall security guards were attempting to arrest two robbery suspects when the shooting happened just after 1 p.m.

Surveillance video captured the events, according to police.

"On the [security] video it shows that [one suspect] reaches into his pocket. It's believed that he discharged his firearm, striking one of the security officers in the chest area," said Const. Tony Vella.

"[The guard]had his vest on, so the vest managed to take most of the action, fortunately for him," said Vella. "The fact that he had his vest on, it definitely saved his life."

The injury was described as serious and the guard was taken to hospital.

Police said they were called to the mall after a person was attacked in an apparent robbery in the mall parking lot.

Lucy Izon heard the gunshots as she walked from the subway to the mall.

"There were people walking in front of me and I heard a shot go off right in front of me. People just started to scatter and yell," she said.

Izon said she took cover in the first place she saw.

"I ran down a hallway and through the first door, and I wound up in the men's washroom.And I said, 'No one go outside, there's people out there with guns.'"

The 17-year-old suspect was wounded in the leg after being taken into custody.

The province's Special Investigations Unit is also investigating.The SIUis called inwhen injuries may have been caused by police.