Police are still looking for a suspect in a tragic mall shooting that occurred on Saturday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, in Ocala, Florida. Albert J. Shell Jr., 39, was arrested for first-degree murder and attempted premeditated first-degree murder, according to the Ocala Police Department.
What Happened at Florida Mall?
According to investigators, the slain victim, 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron, was discovered dead in a common area of the mall when police arrived. During a press conference, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken told reporters he believed he was the target. Authorities say a woman was shot and injured and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Other injuries sustained as a result of the incident included chest pains and a broken arm, according to Balken.
Police release photo of Florida mall shooting suspect:
The photograph of a person of interest in the Saturday afternoon shooting at the Paddock Mall in Ocala has been released by authorities. Sunday afternoon, police issued a statement requesting the individual who grabbed the suspected gunman’s red hat from the mall to come forward. “That hat may contain valuable DNA evidence,” authorities speculated. “If you do not return the hat within the next few hours, we will release your picture … and you will be arrested with a felony charge of tampering with evidence.” After the gunshots erupted, the mall, which was filled with shoppers ahead of the holiday, was evacuated.
Statement of Victims At Mall:
Syriah Williams, 18, said she was shopping with her mother at Bath & Body Works when she heard several rounds fired and “chaos erupted.” “The employees unlocked the back storage area and told everyone to run,” Williams recounted from behind the store’s counters. Jennifer Hunt Murty, owner of the Ocala Gazette, told ABC News Radio that she was working at a gift-wrapping station when the shooting erupted approximately 10 feet away. “We crashed to the ground,” she explained. “I texted the police chief and said active shooter in the mall, and he reacted swiftly.”
Read Also – What Was the Cause of the Missing Christian Holler’s Death?
