The mall was evacuated while police are investigating the cause of the shooting. The identity of the suspect and motive have not been released.
The suspect’s identity and motive have not been disclosed, while another was wounded in a hit-and-run incident, according to Ocala city authorities.
The incident occurred at Paddock Mall, a shopping center in the city, which is located about 80 miles northwest of Orlando.
Mike Blaken, Ocala police chief, informed the media that the deceased man was shot several times in a common area of the mall and that the wounded woman was hit by a bullet in the leg.
The police chief added that the suspect abandoned the firearm at the scene and fled in a vehicle. However, police have not disclosed the identity or motive of the attacker, but assured that the victim was the “target” of the shooting.
“This was not a random act of violence,” Balken said. “This was something targeted at this specific person.”
Police received several emergency calls around 3:40 p.m. local time, and shots were reported at the mall. Officers arrived on the scene and entered the building to secure the area and treat the injured.
“Officers immediately entered the mall, (and) ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter,” Balken told reporters.
In addition to the two people shot, other mall patrons were injured during the shooting. One person suffered chest pain and another reported a broken arm, local authorities said.
In the aftermath, the mall was evacuated and temporarily closed while police conducted investigations. The mall’s owner, WPG, has not issued a statement on the matter.
Witnesses reported panic in the mall during the fatal shooting.
Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping at the J.C. Penney store, told the local Ocala Star-Banner newspaper that they ran out of the store when they heard the gunshots.
“We were in the shoe section and we heard a ‘pop, pop, pop, pop,'” Calvin Amos said. “We thought it was a balloon or something, but then we saw people running and screaming.”
For her part, witness Diana Amor gave her own version of the terrifying episode, “We went out the back door and saw a woman bleeding on the floor (…) It was very scary.”
Meanwhile, police authorities asked citizens to stay away from the mall until normality is restored. Similarly, they asked for the cooperation of anyone with information about the shooting or the suspect.
“This is a tragedy and we are working to find the person responsible and bring them to justice,” Balken said.