Shooting at mall sends one to hospital
Aug. 20—MANCHESTER — Police Friday night were still searching for the suspect of a mid-day shooting outside a clothing store at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills mall that sent one person to the hospital with a gun shot wound to the abdomen.
Police said the shooting happened around noon in the parking lot outside of the Macy's Men's Store. The man shot was a 27-year-old loss prevention officer employed by the store who had been attempting to confront a suspect in an alleged larceny, police added.
The wounded employee was transported to Hartford Hospital, police said. As of early Friday night, his condition was unknown.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, and that the suspect likely fled the area.
Store security cameras show a Black man wearing a blue basketball tank top with the number 47 who police have named as a suspect in the shooting.
Manchester Police Lt. Ryan Shea said Friday that he believes there is no risk to the public at this time.
South Windsor residents Amanda Bengston, 18, and Marisa Resnick, 18, said they were in the mall's H&M store when the shooting occurred.
Bengston said that while they did not hear any gunshots, her parents let her know of the shooting after hearing about it from friends, and warned them to hide. She said they both quickly hid in the store's dressing room
"We kind of just sat in the back of the store and everyone thought we were crazy," Bengston said, adding that once everyone else realized what had happened, the store went into lockdown and everyone was brought into a backroom.
Resnick said that the two of them were nervous because they had no cell service in that part of the store, and couldn't get any more information on their phones.
"It was scary because our parents kept calling us," Bengston said. She added that she and Resnick thought the mall should have been a bit more prepared for such an incident.
"My mom already told me, you guys are never going back there," Bengston said. Still, they were both glad to emerge unharmed, they said.
After the shooting, Macy's spokesperson Stephanie Jimenez said the store was working closely with police to solve the crime.
"We are deeply saddened about the incident that took place today at Macy's Pavilions at Buckland Hills," Jimenez said. "The safety of our customers and our colleagues is Macy's top priority.
"We are working closely with the local police department on this investigation and defer all comments about the case to them, per policy," Jimenez added.
Syracuse-based Spinoso Real Estate Group, which owns The Shoppes at Buckland Hills, could not be reached for comment for this story.
Police are asking that anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information on the suspect to call Manchester Police at 860-645-5500.
Ben covers Vernon and Stafford for the Journal Inquirer.
