Providence Place Mall Shooting: Victim Identified

PROVIDENCE, RI — Providence police have identified the victim in Monday night's shooting. He is Leonard Liriano, 19 of Cranston. Police earlier Tuesday arrested a Pawtucket teen in connection with the Providence Place Mall shooting Monday, according to WPRO radio. A 17-year-old is in custody following an evening of panic at the shopping center. His name is not being released because he is a juvenile. He is being charged with Conspiracy to Commit an Assault with a Deadly Weapon and was being held at the Rhode Island Training School. WPRI-TV 12 reported a judge has released him on home confinement.

Chief Hugh Clements said the shooting at the Providence Place Mall started around 4:40 p.m. as a fight between two groups of young men outside the Footlocker on the second floor of the mall. The fight moved into the Nordstrom and then into the parking lot on the second floor where one of the young men opened fire. A 19-year-old was hit in the leg. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was reported in stable condition with a non-life threatening injury.

The chief made comments at a 7:20 press conference outside the mall and then spoke over the radio Tuesday. Click here for the story on WPRI-TV.

He also said the mall was evacuated out of "an abundance of caution." Police were confident all the suspects had fled immediately after the shooting.

Providence police also stressed the incident had never been an active shooter situation and the injured 19-year-old appears to have been targeted.

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