One person was killed and another was injured after an unidentified gunman opened fire inside a Florida shopping mall on Saturday. The shooting took place at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, central Florida, around 3:40 p.m. local time. According to police, the suspect fled on foot after targeting the victim in a common area of the mall.Speaking to reporters afterwards, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said a male shooting victim was found dead, having been shot multiple times. A woman was also shot in the leg, he added. The busy mall was evacuated following the incident, which came as shoppers crammed the complex ahead of upcoming festivities.Officers immediately entered the mall and ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter situation, Chief Balken said. Several other mall customers were injured in the chaos, with one suffering chest pains and another having a broken arm, he added.The police chief said the mall is expected to remain closed for 12 hours as investigations continue. He urged any witnesses to come forward as the search continues for the suspected shooter. One mall worker said that she informed police about the incident as soon as it happened. We dropped to the ground, said Jennifer Hunt Murty, owner of the Ocala Gazette local newspaper. I texted the police chief and said active shooter in the mall, and he responded right away.You never know how youre going to react in those situations, but I went to work, she added about the terrifying ordeal.
