South Shore Plaza and Braintree working on mall security agreement

BRAINTREE – More police officers, better security cameras, improvements to police radio communications and a relocated police substation are some of the measures planned to improve security at South Shore Plaza after a fatal shooting last month.

Mayor Charles Kokoros briefed the town council Tuesday night on discussions he and police officials have had with representatives of mall owner Simon Property Group on security improvements following the Jan. 22 shooting death of a man at the mall.

The discussions are continuing and details are being worked out, Kokoros said. He expects an agreement can be completed in a couple of weeks.

"We will continue down this path," Kokoros said. "The safety of all who come through the doors of the South Shore Plaza is paramount."

Two Braintree police officers will be added to the mall's patrol contingent, bringing it to four officers and a supervisor, the mayor said.

Mall managers will also look for a more prominent location for the police substation, which is now in a corner of the food court, the mayor said.

The police department and mall representatives will also work together to install up-to-date security cameras in the mall.

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"It gives us the ability to identify someone and their direction," Kokoros said.

Simon Property Group has said it plans to add an explosives-detecting dog to the security staff at the mall. Kokoros said it has not yet been decided whether the dog would be part of the mall's security team or the Braintree Police Department.

District 2 Town Councilor Joseph Reynolds wondered what is being done to prevent incidents at the mall.

"We're treating the aftermath," Reynolds said.

Kokoros replied the added police presence and improved video capability would prevent problems.

"Cameras are a great deterrent to the criminal element," the mayor said.

All the security improvements would be paid for by Simon, he said.

Dijoun Beasley, 26, of Dorchester, was shot in the head near the Forever 21 store amid Saturday afternoon shoppers. He died a couple of days later.

A murder arrest warrant was issued Friday for Julius Hammond-Desir, 19, of Maynard, and authorities say he is the subject of an active manhunt.

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Samantha Schwartz, 27, of Attleboro, was arraigned Friday in Quincy District Court on a charge of accessory after the fact of murder. Assistant District Attorney Anne Yas said Schwartz helped Hammond-Desir flee, drove him to an apartment where he hid, contacted him while he was in hiding and even delivered him food.

The shooting was the third one inside the mall over the last five years and the first fatality.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Mall will add police officers after shooting, Braintree mayor says