Authorities identified the person fatally shot at an Orland Park mall on Monday as an 18-year-old south suburban man.
Javon Britten, of the 22900 block of Millard Avenue in Richton Park, was killed in the shooting at Orland Square Mall Monday evening, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a shooting inside Orland Square Mall, located at 288 Orland Square Drive, at around 6:45 p.m., Orland Park police said in a statement.
The shooting took place in the lower level of the mall near the food court, according to police.
The victim, later identified as Britten, was shot near the food court and collapsed outside an H&M clothing store, Orland Park Deputy Police Chief Joseph Mitchell said. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, officials said.
Witnesses told police that two males were involved in an altercation when one of them pulled out a handgun and opened fire, striking the other multiple times.
Mitchell said an innocent bystander also suffered a graze wound during the gunfire and took themselves to a hospital in La Grange.
The shooting suspect, who police believe knew the victim, was seen fleeing the mall on foot and remained at large Tuesday morning.
He was described as a black man, standing at around 6 feet and 1 inch tall, wearing black clothing and blue jeans, Mitchell said.
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Multiple police agencies responded to and assisted in the clearing of the mall. At least one Twitter user at the shopping center described a scene of people running and police cars arriving.
Mitchell said there were “numerous casings” in the food court area where the victim was shot in the chest.
“This mall is one of the safest malls in the Chicagoland area,” he said. “And I want to reassure (mall visitors) them that we are gonna use every resource available to find and arrest this individual who’s responsible for this case.”
Police said in a statement that the shooting was believed to be an isolated incident.
Anyone with information on the shooting was asked to contact Orland Park police at (708) 364-8112.
