Tragedy Strikes Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida: One Dead and Multiple Injured in Targeted Shooting
Ocala, Florida – In a shocking incident just two days before Christmas Day, a fatal shooting occurred inside the Paddock Mall, leaving one man dead and a woman injured, as confirmed by the Ocala Police Department.
The Ocala Police Department responded to distressing 911 calls reporting an “active shooting situation” around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday. Although initial fears of an active shooter were dispelled, authorities revealed that the incident appeared to be a targeted shooting within a “common area” of the mall.
The victim, identified as 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron, was found lifeless inside the mall, while a woman suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and was promptly transported to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.
Expressing condolences to the victims’ families, the police assured the public of their commitment to bringing the perpetrator to justice. Additional injuries were reported among individuals caught in the chaos following the shooting.
During a press conference on Saturday evening, authorities disclosed that the suspected shooter, described as a Black male in a black hoodie, black pants, and a partially masked face, fled the mall after the incident. Early Sunday morning, the police released a photo collage identifying a “person of interest” and appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the individual.
The images depicted a man wearing a red hat, black hoodie, and black pants. While the mall parking lot has since reopened, the mall itself remains closed, with uncertainty about its reopening on Sunday.
FOX 35 attempted to contact the mall for a statement but had not received a response as of Sunday morning. No official posts or messages regarding the incident were found on the mall’s website or social media accounts.
Situated approximately an hour and a half north of Orlando, Ocala now grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event as the community awaits further updates from authorities.