Albert J Shell Jr: Manhunt underway as officials identify suspect in Florida mall shooting that left one dead
OCALA, FLORIDA: Florida authorities have named the suspect in a deadly weekend shooting at a mall packed with Christmas shoppers, along with a possible accomplice in the case.
Ocala police said that Albert J Shell Jr, 39, is the one suspected to have gunned down David Nathaniel Barron, 40, at Paddock Mall on Saturday, December 23, in what they believe was a targeted hit, as per the New York Post.
Ocala authorities released footage to identify a second person who might have 'tampered with crucial evidence'
On Saturday, people were seen running for their lives and panicking at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, about an hour north of Orlando, around 4 pm. A man, later identified as Barron, was found dead in a common area after being shot in the head, while a woman was shot in the leg, according to police.
One adult male was found deceased in a common area, and one woman was taken to the hospital and is being treated for non life threatening injuries.
— Ocala Police (@ocalapd) December 23, 2023
We believe the shooter fled the area and is at large.
We also believe this shooting may have been targeted.
Around 3.40 pm, the gunman allegedly struck Barron several times during the pre-Christmas mayhem. According to WESH, the woman who was hit in the leg is anticipated to live.
Subsequently, authorities locked the packed mall down for 12 hours while unsuccessfully searching for the killer. Since then they have released surveillance footage of a second person who might have "tampered with crucial evidence by taking the shooter's red hat."
The department asked for the public's assistance in identifying the unidentified individual, saying, "That hat may contain valuable DNA evidence."
Shell Jr, who is currently wanted for first-degree murder, is still at large. In a previous mugshot, he can be seen with a teardrop under one eye and a crucifix tattooed on his forehead.
Police are offering a reward for Albert J Shell Jr's arrest
Ocala police are offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to Shell Jr's arrest. Josh Pawchi, who barricaded himself inside a Kay Jewellers with his parents, shared a video of his stepfather on a mobile reporting that two individuals were "shooting at each other" outside the Chick-fil-A in the mall on Facebook.
In the footage, he is heard saying, "He chased him and just kept shooting at him. They were going after each other."
A local journalist who was volunteering at the mall roughly one hour from Orlando said she saw the killer mere feet away from her.
"I was volunteering at the wrapping station that raises money for the domestic violence shelter, and the gunman was probably about 10 feet away," noted witness Jennifer Hunt Murty, according to the Ocala Gazette.
She added, "We didn’t really have any protection other than tables with linens over them, but we went to the floor, and everybody else was running, so we were very close to the shooting as it occurred and had very little protection to hide."
