**Updated to add quotes from OPD spokesman.**
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE 12/27 3:00 p.m.: Once the Ocala Police Department (OPD) posted clear pictures of the person they were looking for in connection with evidence tampering in the mall shooting case, it didn’t take long for him to be identified.
In a Facebook post, police say, “The man who took the red hat has been identified and is cooperating with us. We now have the hat in our possession.”
“Someone who knows him saw the social media post and informed us,” an OPD spokesman told 352today.
Police wanted the hat back for DNA evidence which could be crucial in the prosecution of the case.
Police have removed the images of the man they were looking for from their Facebook page. At one point, they had video of the man picking up what police said was the suspected shooter’s hat. That too has been taken down from public view.
Police threatened to charge the person with evidence tampering which is a felony. An OPD spokesman tells 352today that the man is not being arrested at this time because he is cooperating.
“Our detectives interviewed him about the incident and ultimately determined that since he’s been identified, he’s being cooperative, we have the hat, and we no longer have a need for his image to be circulating to garner tips, we took down the post,” the spokesman told 352today via text.
Police are still searching for the suspected shooter who has been identified as 39-year-old Albert Shell Jr.
UPDATE 12/27 12:50 p.m.: With each day that passes, the Ocala Police Department (OPD) is getting a much clearer view of one of the people they’re looking for from Saturday’s shooting at Paddock Mall.
While police search for the shooter, they also want to find the person depicted in new images released on OPD’s Facebook page on Wednesday. They say the person dressed in all black picked up the red hat the suspected shooter was wearing.
Police say the hat contains valuable DNA evidence.
There is a $3,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the man who removed the hat from the mall after the shooting. Police say he’ll be charged with felony tampering with evidence.
Police believe the shooter is 39-year-old Albert Shell Jr. They are still actively searching for him. There is a $10,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest.
UPDATE 12/26 8:45 p.m.: The Ocala Police Department (OPD) has released two new images of the person they say picked up a key piece of evidence from the crime scene from Saturday’s shooting at Paddock Mall.
One image is a bit less blurry than the previous image and shows a closer angel. The second is zoomed in to focus on the man’s tattoos.
OPD says the man took the suspected shooter’s red ball cap urgently. They say it could have critical DNA evidence.
They also say the man will be charged with felony tampering with evidence.
PREVIOUSLY, 12/25: The Ocala Police Department (OPD) is trying to track down a key piece of evidence in Saturday’s shooting at Paddock Mall.
Police say someone took the red hat the shooter was wearing from the crime scene. They say the hat may contain valuable DNA evidence.
OPD made a public appeal on Sunday asking that the person who took the hat return it immediately. They threatened to arrest and slap the person with a felony charge of tampering with evidence if they didn’t come forward.
The initial post on social media said they would give the person a couple of hours to return it before posting their photo on social media and releasing the security camera footage to the media.
By 10 p.m. Sunday night, no one had come forward to return the hat and OPD’s promise was not empty.
The department posted on Facebook a still image as well as video that shows a man on a cell phone bending over and picking something up.
The post said, “It’s been 8 hours and time’s up.”
Police say if you recognize this person, call 352-656-6137 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or **TIPS on your cell phone. Tips can also be submitted online at here.
OPD says if you use Crime Stoppers and your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.