Third Ocala mall shooting victim discovered amid gunman's indictment for murder, police say
OCALA, Fla. - The alleged shooter in the Paddock Mall shooting in Ocala last month has been indicted for murder by a grand jury, the Ocala Police Department said Friday.
Albert Shell Jr. was indicted for premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm, two counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The 39-year-old, who is already in custody, was served with the arrest warrant at the Marion County Jail, police said.
Suspect wanted in Paddock Mall shooting arrested, police say
Albert Shell Jr. was arrested by Ocala Police early Monday morning. Shell Jr. is suspected of shooting and killing a man, and injuring a woman, inside the Paddock Mall in Ocala nearly two weeks ago. He's been on the run since the shooting and authorities had been looking for him.
Shell allegedly opened fire inside the Paddock Mall on Dec. 23, sending last-minute Christmas shoppers scrambling for cover. It was first reported that a 40-year-old man, identified as David Nathaniel Barron, was pronounced dead inside the mall from the shooting, and a woman was shot in the leg. Now, police said there is a third victim.
A second individual was grazed by a stray bullet, but his injury was minor and he didn't go to the hospital, police said. No other details about his identity have been released at this time.
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Shell Jr. was taken into custody Jan. 8 by Ocala police officers, U.S. Marshals and Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies. His arrest came after officials confirmed his whereabouts – at a home about 20 miles southwest of Ocala – and negotiated with him for about two hours before he surrendered, according to Ocala Chief of Police Mike Balken.
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Balken said Shell has a long rap sheet and should have been behind bars.
"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," he said.