A manhunt is underway in Florida after a “targeted act of violence” left one man fatally shot and a mall in lockdown.
Last-minute shoppers were rocked Saturday afternoon at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida when the sounds of gunshots rang out. With one man dead and a woman injured from the gunfire, the Ocala Police Department was left seeking the public’s help in identifying a person of interest.
A compilation video captured the scene after police responded to the call of shots fired around 3:40 p.m. wherein one woman could be seen carted away by first responders and somewhere inside another woman documented the fear being experienced in the moment. Elsewhere civilians inside the mall could be seen barricaded in closed up shops as police swept the area in search of a suspect.
#BREAKING: Multiple people have been shot and injured inside the Paddock Mall with the suspect is still at large⁰⁰#Ocala | #Florida ⁰
Numerous law enforcement and other emergency personnel are on the scene at Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, responding to an active shooter… pic.twitter.com/5Q0II5yIJ8— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 23, 2023
“I froze and just looked at them for a second,” witness Shannon Oliver told WESH referring to her mother and sister who were with her at the mall, “and they’re like, what? And then I heard three more, and I was like, go to the back now. Everybody was running and pushing and shoving. We went out the back door and then we all went to the end of the parking lot. In the process, my mom did get hurt, but she is okay.”
“OPD is responding to an active shooting situation that occurred at the Paddock Mall. There is a heavy police presence on scene and we will provide more information as it becomes available. Please avoid the area at this time,” the Ocala Police detailed around 4:20 p.m.
Within minutes, they went on to add, “UPDATE: There is no longer an active shooting situation. There are multiple people injured. The suspect is believed to have fled. The mall is being evacuated at this time. Please avoid the area as police investigate.”
UPDATE: There is no longer an active shooting situation. There are multiple people injured. The suspect is believed to have fled. The mall is being evacuated at this time. Please avoid the area as police investigate. https://t.co/j8Uk5iYjob
— Ocala Police (@ocalapd) December 23, 2023
Later Saturday, during a press conference, OPD Chief Mike Balken explained, “We responded to that call that came in as an active shooter. We responded with a heavy police presence. Officers immediately made entry into the mall — ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter.”
“There was a shooting that took place inside the mall that we believe was a possible targeted act of violence,” he added.
Shortly before midnight, the OPD issued a release that revealed the identity of the decedent to be 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron. “The Ocala Police Department extends our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and we are committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice.”
Barron had been located “in a common area,” along with an as yet unidentified woman who had been shot in the leg. Their injuries were the only ones reported on scene from gunshots.
WPG, the owners of the Paddock Mall, released their own statement on the incident that read, “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with all those involved. The safety of our guests, retailers and employees is our top priority. We are working closely with the Ocala Police Department as they investigate the incident.”
Meanwhile, while shoppers had been permitted to return to the parking lot to retrieve their vehicles, the mall had remained locked down and the OPD asked for the public’s help, releasing an image of a person of interest as they worked to find the suspect behind the fatal shooting.
“This is a person of interest in the deadly Paddock Mall shooting,” OPD stated with security footage of a black male wearing a red baseball cap. “If you recognize this person, please call…If you use Crime Stoppers and your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000!”
This is a person of interest in the deadly Paddock Mall shooting.
If you recognize this person, please call 352-369-7000 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or **TIPS. Tips can also be submitted to https://t.co/TZBhTyKhkL. pic.twitter.com/c1x2qW5dCH
— Ocala Police (@ocalapd) December 24, 2023
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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