Posted on 11/18/2006 7:19:22 PM PST by sitetest
Last Edited: Saturday, 18 Nov 2006, 8:12 PM EST Created: Saturday, 18 Nov 2006, 8:12 PM EST
Breaking News ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Three people were shot in the food court of a shopping mall Saturday evening, and one was critically wounded, fire officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxdc.com ...
Fox has updated their article. Here's some more interesting details:
"Witnesses said two men were arguing in the food court, pulled guns and started shooting at each other.
"Ray Leone, manager of the Borders Books & Music, which is located across from the food court, said he heard at least 10 gunshots. Several of his employees were in the food court at the time of the shooting, and they told him an elderly couple was hit by stray bullets.
"He said he believed the shooting, which happened in front of a Panda Express, was gang related, and that the shots sounded like they came from automatic weapons."
Apparently, Mr. Leone, of Borders Books, didn't actually see the gunfight, as he got his reports from his employees that were in the food court at the time. The view from the door of Borders into the food court is mostly obstructed by various kiosks and vendors in the middle of the floor outside the stores.
As well, if Mr. Leone's report is to be believed, then at least FOUR people were shot - the Secret Service agent, one of the suspects, and an elderly couple.
But later reports indicate that there were only THREE people wounded. Thus, Mr. Leone's second-hand report doesn't seem too reliable.
But it is from Mr. Leone that we get the meme placed into the report that this was "gang-related," and that "automatic weapons" were used.
I think I'll wait until more official word, based on something more than the non-eyewitness account of Mr. Leone, comes down and clarifies the facts of this incident.
Their favorite store ran out of playstation 3.
Dear Palladin,
It's unclear whether an elderly couple was really shot. See my #61.
sitetest
Thanks for the update. Maybe they were just hit by flying debris of some sort. It must have been a chaotic scene. But, thankfully, no one has died (yet).
I always wonder what would be the best thing to do in a scenario like this? Run to the nearest store and out the back? Duck under a table? Hop behind the food counter?
The malls here in my area were packed today with people starting their Christmas shopping.
New articles like these are very disconcerting.
That's an easy call -- and I'll say it like it is:
BLACK hooligans !
How's that!
Dear Palladin,
"Maybe they were just hit by flying debris of some sort. It must have been a chaotic scene."
Perhaps. But the fellow who reported the injury of the elderly couple, Mr. Leone, almost certainly didn't see any of the action take place. He was at a store, Borders, that is across from one side of the food court in Annapolis Mall. But the shooting happened in front of a restaurant more toward the other side of the food court. There are several vendors impeding the view from Borders, and other problems leading to a very obstructed view.
The report tells us that folks started running away. I'm not sure that any eyewitness could accurately recount what actually happened.
"New articles like these are very disconcerting."
They are disconcerting to read about, but their infrequency should be somewhat consoling.
sitetest
Reminds me of the mall shootout in "The Teeth of the Tiger" by Tom Clancy.
"That's an easy call -- and I'll say it like it is:
BLACK hooligans !
How's that!"
Your concise accuracy surpasses the vast majority of elite, agenda-laden reporters from gilt-edged Schools of Journalism.
Thanks for seeing my original point.
There's been some problems over the last couple of weeks in Annapolis. There seems to be hostilities among some high schoolers in that area.
It's really scary to think about going to the mall on a Saturday night and have to worry about getting hit by a bullet.
I wonder if it had anything to do with this unfinished incident at school this past week:
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/11_18-31/TOP
I feel a little ill reading this one. I know Mid-son was at the game yesterday. I also know several of the guys were planning on seeing 'Casino Royale' last night. I would like to know who was shot. Anyone know??
My Mid-son was at the game (but it was today). Game ended (Navy won - beating Temple quite decisively) ... and the Mids were given extended liberty. (Game over around 4:30, release shortly thereafter. .... shooting was around 7:00 PM).
Son arrived at the mall - saw the large number of red flashing lights, and his group opted to go elsewhere for food. (Shooting at the food court.) His only source of info is the internet thus far. He figures that there were likely to be many Mids in the food court - but he doesn't know anyone who was there. (He called around 1:30AM to chat for awhile .... lots of energy ... oh to be so young!!)
Mike
By RYAN BAGWELL and JOSHUA STEWART Staff Writers
Secret Service agent wounded when he tries to stop fight.
At least four people were shot at the crowded Annapolis mall last night, including an off-duty Secret Service agent who opened fire on a teen involved in a food court gunfight.
At least six shots rang out just after 7:15 p.m. near the Cingular wireless store in the Westfield Annapolis mall, police and witnesses said, sending hordes of panicked shoppers running for cover.
The gunfire erupted after a group of young men started fighting with another young man, said Officer Sara Schriver, a county police spokesman. The Secret Service agent, who was at the mall with his family, tried to break it up, she said.
One person in the group pulled out a gun - possibly a revolver - and shot the agent, police said. The wounded agent fired back and was able hit the assailant.
Somehow two other people were hit in the melee, police said. Three were in stable condition at area hospitals last night and the fourth was treated for a graze wound.
Police said they are investigating whether the mall fight is linked to neighborhood rivalries that led to seven arrests at Annapolis High on Friday.
The agent and the first teen were flown to the Shock-Trauma Center at
University Hospital in Baltimore. The others were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center, said Capt. Tim Bowman, the county police department's night watch commander.
A source in the Secret Service said the agent is assigned to the presidential protection division, but Kim Bruce, a Secret Service spokesman, couldn't confirm that information last night.
Capt. Bowman said both the assailant and person being harassed were teenagers.
No arrests had been made as of last night.
Witnesses described a scene of pure chaos as a wave of Saturday night mallgoers fled the packed food court, dropping trays, merchandise and even knocking over racks of clothes on their way.
Some ducked behind support columns for cover, and others just took off.
Fourteen-year-old Brandy Hubbard was ordering a soda at Chick-fil-A when she saw eight or nine people run to the Cingular cell phone store.
"We were looking over there and we said, 'what the heck,' " she said, "And then we heard gunshots and started running."
Tiffany Hardy, a Centerville teen, was eating dinner in the Red Robin restaurant when the gunfight started. "I heard gunshots, and everyone got down," she said, teary eyed. "Then everyone ran out."
Police cordoned off the food court entrance with yellow police tape as they collected evidence and took witnesses away for interviews.
Confused shoppers stared at the sea of empty chairs and cold food, wondering what took place.
Scott deGraffenreid, a mall spokesman, would only say mall employees are cooperating with police. They turned over surveillance tapes to investigators, he said.
Police said the food court probably will reopen today.
This is indeed close to home.
The problem is in neighborhoods in Annapolis where poor blacks and Hispanics are competing and the blacks are losing out.
Time to stop ignoring the problem and get in some law and order.
Maybe this is a jump start.
Sorry for the cynicism but this general lack of civility in the state has me piss*d and the public keeps voting for more of the same. Baltimore City, PG & MONTY CO not only control this state, they infect it.
Thanks. I received an e-mail this morning. Son was on duty so did not go with friends to the mall. Annapolis is a beautiful place. This is pretty scary.
My son was there. He had gone over to the mall with some of the other midshipmen after the Navy win over Temple. He saw the fight break out about 30 feet away between a couple of groups of gang bangers and started over in that direction with one other guy to move some of the women and children out of the danger area. He was about 15ft away when the shooting started.
They hit the ground but continued to pull people down and out of the field of fire. He saw the SS officer get hit and then return fire. By that time the other gang bangers took off and a couple of off duty police officers arrived on scene. The Secret Service officer identified himself and gave up his weapon to the off duty officers who then went to make sure the guy he had shot was not going anywhere. My son and a nurse that was eating at the food court tended to the wounded Secret Service officer until paramedics arrived.
Pretty hairy! I'm proud of how he handled himself in the situation and relieved that he wasn't hurt in it all.
It also has among the highest percentage of mental health treatment centers in the world.
Conclusions, anyone?
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