24-12-2023 (FLORIDA) A tragic shooting incident took place at a shopping mall in central Florida just two days before Christmas, resulting in the death of a man who was apparently targeted by the attacker, according to local police.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken addressed reporters on Saturday evening, revealing that the victim had been shot multiple times in a common area of the Paddock Mall in Ocala, located approximately 80 miles northwest of Orlando. A woman was also injured in the incident, sustaining a gunshot wound to her leg.
The suspect swiftly fled the scene, leaving behind the firearm used in the shooting, Balken confirmed.
Law enforcement officers were alerted to the situation around 3:40 p.m. after receiving reports of multiple gunshots fired at the mall.
“Officers immediately entered the mall and soon determined that this was not an active shooter situation,” Balken informed reporters during the press briefing.
During the shooting, several other mall visitors suffered injuries, including one person who experienced chest pain and another who sustained a broken arm, as reported by the police.
An email inquiry seeking comments was sent to the mall’s owner, WPG. The Paddock Mall is home to numerous stores, including well-known retailers like J.C. Penney and Foot Locker.
Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping at the J.C. Penney store at the time, recounted their experience to the Ocala Star-Banner. They described evacuating the store rapidly once they became aware of the unfolding situation, expressing feelings of fear and apprehension.
A shooting that left several injured occurred this afternoon in a #Florida shopping mall. The incident happened in the #PaddockMall in Ocala, near #orlando . Local police are hunting the person suspected of having fired the gun. The shopping center was evacuated #Ocala pic.twitter.com/A1He3BoBOx
— Toni Bryan (@bryan_toni76649) December 24, 2023
