Florida cops release picture of masked suspect after deadly Ocala mall shooting that left one man dead and a woman in hospital – with gunman still on the run
Police have shared photos of a suspect on the run in a “targeted” shooting at a Florida mall that left a man dead and a woman injured yesterday.
Authorities responded to calls reporting an “active shooter” at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, 80 miles northwest of Orlando, around 3:40 p.m. Saturday.
One man was shot multiple times β including in the head β and pronounced dead at the scene. A woman who was shot in the leg was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
Police have now released photos of a person involved in the shooting: a black man, dressed all in black, with white sneakers and a red cap.
On Saturday evening, police said at a news conference that they believed it was a “targeted act” and that the deceased man was the intended victim.
Police have released photos of a person involved in the shooting, along with an appeal for information on their identity and whereabouts
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said, “Officers immediately entered the mall and ultimately determined that this was not an active shooter situation.”
βOne adult male was found deceased in a common area, and one female was taken to the hospital and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries,β authorities said.
The suspect “fled the mall unnoticed” after the shooting, left the gun behind and remains on the run.
βWe believe the shooter has fled the area and is at large. We also believe that this shooting was targeted,” Balken said.
Officers closed the mall for 12 hours and searched the building, but did not find the shooter.
Upon sharing the new photos of the suspect, officials offered a $3,000 reward in exchange for any information leading to an arrest.
In the immediate aftermath, a helicopter could be seen searching the area as officers searched for the suspect.
The shooting caused vacationers to flee in panic due to the sound of gunshots.
Authorities responded to calls reporting an “active shooter” at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, 80 miles northwest of Orlando, around 3:40 p.m. Saturday.
One person was killed and another injured after a shooting at a central Florida mall, and the suspect is still on the run Sunday
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken speaks during a news conference after a fatal shooting
Syriah Williams, 18, was shopping at the mall with her mother at the time.
She told CNN: 'We heard one shot, then a pause, then three more shots rang out and chaos broke out.β
She said mall employees opened the back storage area and ordered everyone to flee.
In addition to the two immediate victims, several other customers suffered injuries during the shooting, with one person suffering chest pain and another reporting a broken arm, police said.
Police recovered a weapon believed to have been used by the shooter, but the type of firearm was not specified.
They also identified the man who died as 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron.
It is still unclear how the victim and the suspect knew each other and whether and how the female victim was involved.
Ocala police confirmed one man was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene
Officers from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, county and city fire teams and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene
βWe extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and we are committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice,β authorities said.
They added that the shooting is “the worst thing we can imagine at this time of year.”
Balken said there were “a lot of people in the mall” at the time of the shooting.
“That means there are many witnesses who could potentially help us bring this case to a successful resolution,” he added.
Police said the mall remained closed as of Saturday evening, but the parking lot reopened so people could pick up their cars.