Two women appeared in court in Harbour Grace today on a list of charges related to a frightening disturbance at the TC Square shopping centre in Carbonear yesterday afternoon.

Employees of stores and restaurants in the mall had to close their doors when the incident unfolded around 2:00 p.m. Wednesday.

Police received a report of shoplifting at one of the retailers in the mall.

The person was identified as being on court ordered conditions to stay away from the store.

While en route to the mall, officers received a separate report that two women had assaulted an employee at a kiosk and were running through the mall damaging stores and threatening employees and patrons.

32-year old Alyshia George of Old Shop Trinity Bay and 50-year-old Catherine Thorne of Victoria were arrested at the scene without further incident.

George is facing six counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and one count of failure to appear.

Thorne, who is scheduled to appear in Harbour Grace court later this month on a number of outstanding charges including arson and assault of a peace officer, is now facing additional charges stemming from the mall event.

They include two counts of assault, two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, uttering threats to cause damage, two counts of causing a disturbance and failure to comply with a probation order.

Police say the investigation continues, and further charges are pending.

Anyone with cell phone video of any activity of the two women at the TC Square is asked to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

George was released on strict conditions, while Thorne was held to appear for a bail hearing tomorrow.

RioCan: Safety of Employees and Customers ‘Top Priority’

Meanwhile, the owner of the TC Square shopping centre in Carbonear is offering no comment following the event.

RioCan says its top priority is the safety of employees, shoppers and the community at large.

It says it is unable to comment on the incident while the police investigation is underway.