OCALA, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE, 1:44 p.m.: The Ocala Police Department (OPD) is making a public appeal for the return of a key piece of evidence in the Paddock Mall shooting.
Police just posted on their social media platforms pleading to “the person who took the shooter’s red hat from the crime scene.”
Police say that hat may contain valuable DNA evidence.
“We urge you to do the right thing and come forward immediately. Time is of the essence,” said OPD in a Facebook post.
They say they will release security camera photos of the person who took it if it’s not returned within the next few hours and they threaten to arrest the individual with a felony charge of tampering with evidence.
“If you want to avoid the arrest, you need to call us at 352-656-6137 and bring the hat to the police department right away. This is your opportunity to avoid the charge. Do not hesitate,” stated police.
ORIGINAL 7:20 a.m.: The Ocala Police Department (OPD) has released a trio of images from security cameras of a ‘person of interest’ in Saturday’s deadly shooting at Paddock Mall.
OPD asks that if you recognize the person, call 352-369-7000 to speak directly to a detective or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or dial **TIPS on your cell phone. Tips can also be submitted online here.
“We know for a fact that our shooter was a black male, dressed in a black hoodie, black pants and a black mask partially covering his face,” said Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken during a news conference Saturday evening.
If you have information that leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000!
The shooting happened just before 4 p.m. in the common area near Macy’s and left 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron dead. “The Ocala Police Department extends our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and we are committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice,” said OPD in a news release.
Gunfire hit a woman in the leg and others were injured in the scramble to seek safety. The mall mayhem erupted as hundreds of people raced to finish last-minute shopping or just enjoy the traditions of the holiday season.
| RELATED: Mall gunfire sends shoppers, employees scrambling for safety | PHOTOS
Kandace Morales was just about to take her six-month-old daughter to see Santa for her first Christmas. Instead, she and her daughter dashed into a family nursing room to escape the danger. “I heard screaming and crying, and I was afraid to come out,” said Morales. Her daughter on the other hand didn’t seem bothered. “She never even cried.”
At 7:30 a.m., security confirmed for 352today that the mall will be closed today. The mall was supposed to open at 8 a.m. for special Christmas Eve hours to give holiday shoppers a few more hours to cross everything off their lists.
The police department knows many people pulled out their cell phones and began recording when the shooting happened. They ask anyone who has video of the incident to share it with them. You can email videos to MediaRelations@ocalapd.org or text 352-656-6137.
Police believe the shooting was a “targeted act of violence.”