Arrest Warrant Issued In Deadly Florida Mall Shooting: Police

OCALA, FL — The Ocala Police Department has issued an arrest warrant in connection with the deadly mall shooting on Saturday with an offer to pay $5,000 for information leading to the apprehension of the suspect, according to a post on its Facebook page.

The department is seeking Albert J. Shell Jr., 39, for first-degree premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder, the post reads.

The department is offering $5,000 for information leading to Shell's arrest, and its brass is encouraging anyone with information to call 352-656-6137, telling residents, "Please share! Paddock Mall Murder Suspect."

Or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or **TIPS.

Tips can also be submitted online at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.

Police also said that another suspect tampered with "crucial evidence by taking the shooter's red hat from the crime scene," according to another Facebook post.

tampered with crucial evidence by taking the shooter's red hat from the crime scene at the Paddock Mall. That hat may contain valuable DNA evidence.

David Nathaniel Barron, 40, was killed and a woman was injured Saturday at Paddock Mall in Ocala, police said.

Officers were called to the mall at 3:40 p.m. for a report of an active shooting with multiple victims, authorities said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Barron was found dead in a common area, and a woman was taken to the hospital where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

"We believe the shooter fled the area and is at large," police wrote on X, on Saturday. "We also believe this shooting may have been targeted."

The mall was evacuated, and officers conducted a secondary sweep, according to police.

On Sunday, police released surveillance images showing a suspect they say may be related to the shooting. He can be seen wearing a red baseball hat, a camouflage neck warmer, and black clothing with white sneakers.

Also in a Facebook video, Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano said that while "reflecting on the tragic shooting that unfolded at the Paddock Mall yesterday, I want to address our community during this difficult time, provide information, and extend my deepest condolences to those affected."
He went on to describe the 911 call as "distressing," saying that a shooting had taken place at Paddock Mall "with multiple shots fired."

"Responding to the call, our dedicated first responders acted swiftly, deploying a significant police presence and bravely entering the mall to address what we initially believed to be an active shooter," he said.

"As we now know, it was determined that there was no active shooter, but a shooting had occurred," Marciano said, adding that "regrettably," Barron died and the woman was injured.

"As we grapple with the aftermath, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," he said. "We extend our deepest sympathies to those who are affected by this terrible act of violence. I want to commend the swift and coordinated efforts of our first responders who courageously entered the mall to eliminate any potential threat; their dedication to protecting our community. is commendable. And we are grateful for their service."

The police department's focus is now "on conducting a thorough investigation into this incident and apprehending the suspect," according to Marciano.

"I assure you, we are working hard to bring justice to the victims," he said. "In this challenging time. Let us lean on one another for support, comfort, and strength. Together we will overcome this and emerge stronger as a community."

Megan Verhelst, Cailin Loesch, and Anna Shier contributed additional reporting to this story.