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Police: Suspect arrested after deadly Florida mall shooting

Police had been searching for the suspect for weeks after a deadly targeted shooting killed one and injured others.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken speaks during a news conference.
Posted at 4:32 PM, Jan 10, 2024

Police in Florida say they have arrested a suspect in connection with a deadly December shooting at a mall near Orlando. 

The Ocala Police Department said their investigation in conjunction with the United States Marshals Service and the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force led to the arrestof Albert Shell Jr., who is suspected of committing murder in the deadly shooting attack on Dec. 23. 

Man killed, woman injured in a 'targeted' shooting at a Florida mall
In this photo provided by the Ocala Police Department, a cruiser sits parked following a fatal shooting at Paddock Mall.

Man killed, woman injured in a 'targeted' shooting at a Florida mall

Several people suffered injuries during the shooting, with one person who had chest pain and another reporting a broken arm.

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As the Associated Press reported, a man died in the shooting at a shopping mall in central Florida two days before Christmas. Police said the victim was targeted in the attack.

Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken told reporters the victim was killed after he was shot multiple times in a common area at Paddock Mall in Ocala, located about 79 miles northwest of Orlando.

A woman also was shot in the leg. She was treated at a local hospital and expected to recover, Balken said.

The suspect fled the scene and left behind the firearm used in the attack, Balken said.

Police arrived at the mall around 3:40 p.m. after a call of multiple shots being fired at the mall.

"Officers immediately made entry into the mall (and) ultimately discovered that this was not what we would consider an active shooter," Balken told reporters.

Several other mall patrons suffered injuries during the shooting, with one person having chest pain and another reporting a broken arm, police said.