What we know about the Eastridge Mall shooting

Kevin Ellis, The Gaston Gazette
·2 min read
A victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.
A victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.

Here are five updates to Friday's Eastridge Mall shooting in Gastonia, North Carolina, based on new information from Gastonia Police:

1. Gastonia Police have arrested a 17-year-old man with multiple multiple felony offenses related to this multi-casualty shooting. Because of his age, police did not release his name.

2. Investigators have now determined that all three shooting victims were shot in the mall parking lot and that the victims fled inside to the food court area of the mall after being shot.

3. Detectives have also now determined that a male victim, who was believed to have been the fourth person shot in this incident and who self-transported to a hospital in Charlotte, was not shot during the Eastridge Mall incident. This individual is now believed to have been shot in a neighboring jurisdiction.

A Gastonia Police officer at the scene of a mass shooting at Eastridge Mall on Friday, June 10, 2022. Paramedics remove one of the injured in the background
A Gastonia Police officer at the scene of a mass shooting at Eastridge Mall on Friday, June 10, 2022. Paramedics remove one of the injured in the background

4. Investigators are also now working to determine if there is any known relationship between the suspect and any of the victims.

5. A handgun was found in the wooded area near the mall where the teenage suspect was found.

6. A discarded handgun also was located in the food court area of the mall.

7. Detectives continue to work to determine a motive for these shootings

What happened

At 12:10 p.m. on Friday, June 10, GPD officers, fire and rescue personnel, and numerous public safety agencies from the surrounding area responded to the Eastridge Mall located at 246 N. New Hope Road about shooting that just occurred.

First responders located an adult male outside the mall near the food court suffering from a gunshot wound.

A victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.
A victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.

Officers were told that there were additional victims inside the food court area of the mall. Officers entered the mall and located an adult female and an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. These three victims were transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Centr with non-life-threatening injuries.

During the initial response, officers were told that a possible suspect was seen running from the mall and into a nearby wooded area. Gastonia Police officers entered the woods and located a 17-year-old male. A handgun was located in the woods near where the teenager was found.

The teenager was taken into custody without incident and transported to Gastonia Police headquarters on Long Avenue for an interview.

An officer tries to clean the scene as a victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.
An officer tries to clean the scene as a victim is taken by paramedics to a waiting ambulance after a shooting at the Eastridge Mall Friday afternoon, June 10, 2022.

After the interview, the teen was charged with multiple felony offenses related to this multi-casualty shooting at the Eastridge Mall.

GPD thanks all the law enforcement and public safety agencies from surrounding jurisdictions who responded to assist in this large-scale incident.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Eastridge mall shooting in Gastonia: What we know now