Accident – death – Obituary News :

Suspect Arrested in Ocala Mall Shooting

OCALA, Fla. – In a significant breakthrough, the Ocala Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service have arrested a 39-year-old man suspected in the December shooting that occurred at the Paddock Mall. The incident resulted in the death of one man and left a woman injured. Albert J. Shell Jr. was taken into custody without incident early Monday morning, following an intensive investigation.

The Ocala Police Department had named Shell as a suspect on December 24, the day after the tragic shooting took place. Shell was apprehended around 2 a.m. on Monday, thanks to the joint efforts of the OPD and the U.S. Marshals Service. The suspect had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

A reward of $20,000 had been offered for any information leading to Shell’s arrest. However, it remains unclear whether investigators received a tip that helped in locating the suspect.

On December 23, at approximately 3:40 p.m., the Ocala Police Department responded to a shooting incident at the Paddock Mall. Initially, the police described the situation as an “active shooting situation.” However, they later confirmed that the suspect had fled the scene and was considered to be on the run.

Authorities believe that the shooting may have been a targeted attack. The victim, identified as 40-year-old David Barron, was found dead in a common area. Another woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The mall shooting occurred within a short span after two separate shootings were reported in Ocala the previous night, emphasizing the urgent need for law enforcement to address the escalating violence in the area.

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