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Florida police search for Ocala mall shooter; asks public for help finding suspect
Florida police on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for Albert J. Shell Jr. after he allegedly shot and killed a man at a mall in the Central Florida city of Ocala.
Shell’s wanted on charges of premeditated first-degree murder and attempted premeditated first-degree murder, Ocala police said. The department is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The suspect fled the scene on foot and left behind the firearm, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said during a news briefing.
The shooting occurred in a “common area” of the Paddock Mall at about 3:40 p.m. local time on Saturday, Balken said. A man identified as 40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron was killed and a woman suffered a gunshot injury to the leg.
Investigators said they believe Barron was targeted.
Ocala Police
Several other people at the mall suffered injuries during the shooting, police said. One person reported chest pain and another reported a broken arm.
Police said the shooter was wearing a red hat. On Sunday afternoon, officials said someone had taken the hat from the scene.
“That hat may contain valuable DNA evidence, and we need it back,” Ocala police said. “We urge you to do the right thing and come forward immediately. Time is of the essence.”
The Ocala Police Department said if the hat was not returned quickly, police would release a picture of the individual who took it. They said the person who took the hat would be arrested on a felony charge of tampering with evidence.
Ocala is located about 80 miles northwest of Orlando.
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A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
