Franklin Park Mall remains open to shoppers today after a shooting outside but on mall grounds.
Two shots were fired outside of GNC, a vitamin shop facing the Monroe Street side. Tikei Dasean Benton, 21, was hit once and driven to Mercy St. Anne’s Hospital in a private vehicle for injuries that do not appear life threatening. Shell casings were found outside the store.
A store owner at the mall said the shooting wasn’t in the mall but outside in a parking lot. He told The Blade a witness said that several youths got out of a car and began fighting with others. At first, witnesses thought they were play fighting. But then someone in the group pulled out a gun and fired twice.
Police are searching for a gunman who is described as black, about 18 years old, 6 feet tall, with a thin build, black T-shirt, and camouflage pants. Lt. Joe Heffernan said police received a call of shots fired at the mall at 1:08 p.m. He did not give details on a motive, but said authorities would be speaking to witnesses and going over surveillance footage.
Washington Local was on lock down, authorities said.
First Published September 25, 2015, 5:24 p.m.
