One person killed, another injured in shooting at Florida shopping mall

A man was killed in a gunshot at a shopping mall in central Florida two days before Christmas, according to police, who said the victim was “targeted” for the crime.

According to Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken, the man was died after being shot numerous times in a common area at Paddock Mall in Ocala, which is about 80 miles northwest of Orlando. According to authorities, a woman was shot in the leg.

According to Balken, the suspect fled the area and left the firearm behind.

Police were called to the mall at 3:40 p.m. after receiving a report of many rounds being fired.

“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 also suffered injuries during the shooting, with one person having chest pain and another reporting a broken arm, police said.

An email inquiry was sent to the mall’s owner, WPG. The mall has dozens of stores, including JC Penney and Foot Locker.

Calvin and Diana Amos, who were shopping in the J.C. Penney store, told the Ocala Star-Banner that they evacuated the store quickly once they figured out what was going on. They described themselves as scared and apprehensive.