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Paddock Mall shooting: 1 year later
It's been one year since alleged gunman Albert Shell Jr. opened fire inside the Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, killing one man and injuring a woman, according to police.
OCALA, Fla. - Monday marks one year since a man began shooting inside the Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida. The shooting left one man dead and injured a woman, authorities said. Here is the very latest on the case.
What happened?
On. Dec. 23, 2023, a gunman, later identified as Albert Shell Jr., entered the mall and fired multiple shots in a "common area" of the mall, sending last-minute Christmas shoppers scrambling for cover, prompting an "active shooter situation," according to the Ocala Police Department.
When police arrived, they found 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron dead inside the mall, and an innocent woman who had been shot in the leg. The woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment for her injuries.
Red hat incident
After the shooting, a man reportedly snatched the gunman's red hat from the crime scene, authorities said.
"This is a message to the person who took the shooter's red hat from the crime scene. That hat may contain valuable DNA evidence, and we need it back. We urge you to do the right thing and come forward immediately. Time is of the essence," police said at the time on social media. "If you do not return the hat within the next few hours, we will release your picture on our social media and to the news media outlets, and you will be arrested with a felony charge of tampering with evidence."
The police department ultimately released photos of the man who allegedly took the hat from the crime scene on social media, but later removed them after he came forward.
"The man who took the red hat has been identified and is cooperating with us. We now have the hat in our possession," police said.
Suspect arrested
During a news conference on Jan. 8, 2024, Ocala Chief of Police Mike Balken announced the arrest of Shell, who was found at a home around 1 a.m., about 20 miles southwest of Ocala.
Balken told reporters that his department received hundreds of tips that played a crucial role in solving the case, which included locating Shell.
The Ocala Police Department shared this photo showing the arrest of Paddock Mall murder suspect Albert Shell Jr. (Credit: Ocala Police Department)
Shell was arrested by Ocala police officers with the help of the United States Marshals Service, specifically the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
They negotiated with him for about two hours before he surrendered, Balken said.
What we know about the suspect
Shell began shooting inside the mall in what police said was a targeted attack. Authorities said Shell and Barron possibly worked together at some point, but police did not elaborate.
"We know the victim had a prior work relationship with Mr. Shell and I don't want to really go into details about the motives behind this case," Balken said. "No reason to believe this was anything other than a beef between two individuals that was resolved in a mall with a gun."
Albert Shell Jr. (Photo: Ocala Police Department)
Shell already had a lengthy criminal history prior to the shooting, according to police.
"His criminal history alone tells me he should have never been on the streets to be able to commit this crime, and we are going to see to it that he spends the rest of his life behind bars," Balken said.
The latest on the case
Shell faces multiple charges including first-degree murder with a firearm and attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, according to Marion County court records. The state plans to seek the death penalty.
His trial is slated to begin in June 2025.
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The Source: Information for this article was provided by the Ocala Police Department and Marion County court records.