What’s New
A shooting at a mall in Indiana on Monday night left at least one individual injured, and police arrested an 18-year-old male in connection with the incident.
Why It Matters
The shooting occurred just days ahead of the Christmas holiday as many shoppers were inside the Castleton Square Mall in Indiana. Police officers were able to evacuate many shoppers as the shooting unfolded.
What To Know
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reported that the suspect in the shooting was arrested hours after the incident on a felony charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon.
However, as of Tuesday morning, online court records indicated that formal charges had not yet been filed against the individual.
In a press release posted on Facebook, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) identified the suspect as 18-year-old Aaron McClure.
According to police, McClure was arrested on charges of “felony intimidation with a deadly weapon for his alleged role in this case.”
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“This arrest came just a few short hours after the incident occurred. Detectives believe all individuals were known to each other and were involved in a disturbance when the shooting occurred,” police said.
Authorities responded to reports of gunfire inside the mall at around 8:30 p.m. local time on the city’s northeast side. After arriving to the scene, officers worked quickly to evacuate patrons and secure the area.
Initially, police reported no injuries from the Castleton Square Mall shooting, but later a man arrived at a hospital with what officers identified as gunshot wounds. Authorities confirmed he was in stable condition.
“Detectives believe the individual was injured during the shooting at Castleton Square Mall and are continuing to investigate whether they were involved in the dispute,” police said in the press release. “Preliminary information suggests that a disturbance between individuals who knew each other occurred before shots were fired. At this time, IMPD does not believe there is an ongoing threat to public safety.”
According to police, investigators also discovered “damage inside the mall, including a bullet hole in a wall and another in an arcade machine” following the shooting.
Castleton Square Mall has witnessed multiple shootings in recent years, including a deadly incident in January 2023 when gunfire outside the mall claimed the life of a teenager and injured another man. Police apprehended a suspect in connection with that case.
What People Are Saying
Officer Tommy Thompson said to reporters following the incident: “How many families were put at risk, and how hard this is for these families, how close it is to the holidays.”
What’s Next
In the press release, police said that the investigation into the incident remains active “as detectives continue to work to hold the other involved individuals accountable for their reckless actions.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.