San Jose police arrest suspect in Black Friday triple shooting at Valley Fair Mall
A 17-year-old was arrested Monday for allegedly shooting three people on Black Friday at the Valley Fair Mall, sending thousands fleeing and seeking shelter, authorities said.
Police say it was apparent gang-related disturbances that prompted the teen to pull out a gun and open fire, hitting his target and two innocent victims.
San Jose Police Department
On one of the busiest shopping nights of the year, a shooting that Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen called nothing less than a terrorist attack sent thousands more into panic.
On Monday, San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said a 17-year-old suspect, already on probation for gun-related charges, had been arrested.
A 21-year-old woman pushing a baby in a stroller, related to the suspect, was also arrested after police said she helped the shooter leave the mall following the incident.
“He opened fire on his alleged rival in the middle of the mall, with babies and bystanders all around him,” Chief Joseph said. “He fired several rounds, hitting his target, as well as a teenage girl and an adult woman who were passing by. Indiscriminate shots were fired through the mall breezeway, wounding three, but miraculously, no one was killed.”
It seemed like a normal day at the Valley Fair Mall on Monday.
But there was a sense of worry among shoppers, just days after a Black Friday shooting.
“It makes me nervous, but I was just trying to return something and I was just hoping I could get in and out, return this item and leave — because I don’t like shopping at malls,” Margaret Morris said.
RELATED: Valley Fair Mall reopens after Black Friday shooting; police say it’s probably gang related
The incident happened outside the Fresh Society store, just steps from the women’s Macy’s on the upper level of the mall.
The temporary repair of the window hit by the gunfire was still in place.
Myrna Gonzales says her niece was working at the time of the shooting.
“She cried, she was scared,” Gonzales said. “You want to run there and protect her, you know? It’s scary – very, very.”
ABC7 News was there as San Jose police officers made their rounds Monday.
The mall reopened Saturday with increased security following the shooting.
INTERACTIVE: Take a look at ABC7 neighborhood safety monitoring
This is what made some buyers feel safer and more confident that nothing would go wrong Monday morning.
“I mean, it’s actually safer to be here after a shooting, that’s what I think,” Daniel Zhou said. “It shocks me, but it doesn’t really influence whether I should come here. Because it’s a nice shopping center, isn’t it?”
This is the second suspected gang-related violence to occur in the shopping district this year. A child was stabbed to death on Santana Row, across from the mall, on Valentine’s Day.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is calling for changes to the justice system following the latest incident.
“I’ll say what I said in February, I’m afraid that if we don’t change the way our system holds young repeat offenders accountable, we could incentivize gangs to recruit younger and younger kids,” Mahan said.
The shooter and his accomplice will be officially indicted later this week.
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