One man is dead and more injured in what police described as a “targeted” shooting at a shopping precinct.
The incident reportedly took place at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, located 80 miles northwest of Orlando in Florida. Police say a woman was shot in the leg just two days before Christmas.
Police officer Mike Balken said the suspect fled the area, reports the Guardian. A firearm was reportedly left at the scene.
Police arrived at the mall at around 3.40pm. They received reports of multiple shots befire fired inside the mall.
Balken said: “Officers immediately made entry into the mall and ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter.”
Several shoppers suffered injuries during the shooting. Police said one person reported chest pain while another sustained a broken arm.
The Associated Press said the mall’s owner WPG has not responded to an email inquiry. The mall is home to dozens of stores including JCPenney and Foot Locker.
Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping in the JCPenney store, told the Ocala StarBanner that they evacuated the store quickly once they figured out what was going on. They described themselves as scared and apprehensive.
