Tragedy struck at a central Florida shopping mall on Saturday, resulting in the death of a man and the injury of a woman in a targeted shooting incident, as reported by local police.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken revealed that 911 calls alerted authorities to multiple gunshots inside the Paddock Mall, initially suggesting an "active shooter" situation. Responding swiftly with a substantial police presence, officers entered the mall, only to discover that it was not an ongoing active shooter scenario. Instead, they categorized the incident as a deliberate act of violence targeting a specific individual.
In response to the situation, Paddock Mall in Ocala was evacuated, and authorities confirmed that there was no longer a threat, as communicated through a Facebook post.
Chief Balken confirmed the unfortunate fatality of an adult male within the mall due to gunshot wounds. Additionally, a woman sustained a gunshot wound to her leg and was promptly transported to a hospital, with expectations for her recovery.
The suspect, described as a Black male wearing a black hoodie, black pants, and a black mask covering his face, remains at large. Authorities are actively searching for the individual, and the public has been urged to avoid the area while the investigation is underway, according to information shared on the official Facebook page.
A subsequent tweet from the Ocala Police Department mentioned a "secondary sweep" of the mall on Saturday evening, underlining their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the area in light of the incident.
(With Agency Inputs)
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