Innocent bystander shot and killed during argument at mall food court, Alabama cops say
An innocent bystander was shot and killed and another man was injured when an argument escalated between two groups at an Alabama mall food court, cops said.
Deputies responded to a shooting at about 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Western Hills Mall in Fairfield, where they found a 21-year-old man who had been shot, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Feb. 24 news release. He was taken to a hospital for his injuries.
According to deputies, two groups of people at the mall “exchanged words which led to gunfire.”
An investigation later revealed that another man who was not involved in the argument was shot and taken in a personal vehicle to a hospital, where he later was pronounced dead. He was identified as 32-year-old Darin Hall, deputies said.
Hall’s death marks the third fatal shooting at the mall since 2018, AL.com reported.
“A situation like yesterday is just very difficult on everybody because you just can’t anticipate somebody coming in and doing something violent like that,” Fairfield Mayor Eddie Penny told WBMA.
Residents have voiced their concerns about the safety of the mall over the years, Penny said, adding that he is working with the mall owner and City Council on ways to improve security.
It is unclear how many people were involved in the shooting, Penny said.
“My main concern is keeping the citizens of Jefferson County safe. We will use all of our resources to bring those who are responsible to justice,” Sheriff Mark Pettway said in the release. “As a result of this brazen act of violence, an innocent person has died.”
The investigation is ongoing, deputies said.
Fairfield is about a 10-mile drive southwest from Birmingham.
