Deadly Shooting at Ocala Shopping Center Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Injured
Ocala, Florida (CNN) – A man was killed and a woman was injured after a shooting inside a shopping center in Ocala, Florida, this Saturday afternoon, according to Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken.
Police identified David Nathaniel Barron, 40, as the victim of the deadly shooting in the parking lot of the Paddock shopping center. The Ocala Police Department extended their deepest condolences to the victims’ families and are committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice.
The attacker is still at large, according to the Police. Balken said police received 911 calls about multiple shots fired at the Paddock Mall. Police responded with a heavy presence, but ultimately, this was not an active shooter situation, Balken said.
An adult man was found dead inside the shopping center from gunshot wounds. A woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and is expected to survive. Police are looking for the suspect, described as a black man wearing a black hoodie, black pants, and a black mask over his face and fled the scene.
The parking lot was reopened for residents to retrieve their vehicles while the mall remains closed. Police are currently conducting a “secondary sweep” of the mall.
Witnesses described the chaos that erupted after the gunfire. Syriah Williams, 18, said she was shopping with her mother at the mall when the shooting occurred. “We heard a gunshot, then a pause, then three more gunshots rang out and chaos erupted,” she said in a message. Williams said mall employees opened the back storage room and ordered everyone to run.
The Paddock Mall owners issued a statement, expressing their sadness and emphasizing their commitment to the safety of their customers, merchants, and employees.
This shooting comes at a time when communities across the country are dealing with a rise in gun violence. The attack occurred on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, and with the holiday falling on a Monday, in-person shopping at brick-and-mortar stores was expected to rise sharply from previous years.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while the police investigate the incident.