Man Killed by Officer Responding to Alabama Mall Shooting ‘Likely’ Not Gunman

A man brandishing a gun while running from a shooting at an Alabama mall on Thanksgiving who was killed by a responding police officer was likely not the same man who shot a teenager and injured a young girl, police officials said.

The initial shooting took place near Footaction. Police officers said a 21-year-old shot an 18-year-old male following an altercation. A 12-year-old female was struck at some point by a bullet.

Police officers responding to the scene said they had shot to death the gunman but the man they killed, identified as Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., was likely not the gunman, police said.

“New evidence now suggests that while Mr. Bradford may have been involved in some aspect of the altercation, he likely did not fire the rounds that injured the 18-year-old victim,” Hoover Police Captain Gregg Rector said in a statement.

Investigators now say that more than two people were involved in the altercation and “this information indicates that there is at least one gunman still at-large, who could be responsible for the shooting of the 18-year-old male and 12-year-old female.”

“We regret that our initial media release was not totally accurate, but new evidence indicates that it was not,” the department added.

Authorities respond after reports of shots fired at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover, a suburb in Birmingham, Ala., on Nov. 22, 2018. (ABC 33/40 via AP)

Military Man

Bradford had enlisted in the U.S. Army, said Carl Dean, a former teacher at his high school, Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Birmingham.

Dean wasn’t sure whether Bradford was still active in the Army but doubted his former student shot someone.

“He was a super sweet, funny, kind and goodhearted young man who never had a bad word to say to anyone,” Dean told the Hoover Sun.

“When I saw this morning that he was allegedly involved in causing the tragedy at the mall last night, I was shocked and in disbelief as well as heartbroken that this young man is no longer with us.”

It’s not clear whether Bradford shot at the responding officers.

The victims were rushed to nearby hospitals; the 18-year-old had serious injuries while the younger victim was alert and talking.

Shoppers Flee

Witnesses said people quickly fled the scene, as seen in the video at the top of the page, when the gunshots went off.

“I was at a kiosk buying some jewelry right outside the food court .... and right as I was about to pay, I heard this ‘bang,’ and … you’re thinking ‘Okay, probably not,’ and then I heard ‘bang, bang’ and then, it was terrifying, and then everybody started screaming and running as fast as they could,” one witness told WBRC. “It was very scary.”

Another shopper, Lexi Joiner, said she was shopping with her mother when approximately six or seven shots were fired. They were ordered into a nearby supply closet with other shoppers to take cover.

“It was terrifying,’’ Joiner told AL.com.

Another shopper, a high school senior, said that he went to his car and heard tires squealing as people fled the scene.

“This was my first Black Friday,” he said. “I knew it would be crazy, just not this crazy.”

Riverchase Galleria said in a statement that it was working with the police.

“We are devastated by the incident that happened tonight in our shopping center. We are working closely with the Hoover Police Department and are grateful for their swift action to contain the situation. While there is no current danger to our community, the shopping center will remain closed until further notice.”

Video credit: Paige Lee Barnett via Storyful

From NTD News