This story has been updated to include new information.
A Detroit man suspected in the fatal shooting of a Pontiac man in the food court at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets is being released from the Oakland County Jail pending further investigation, Auburn Hills police said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, July 14.
Police Deputy Chief Scott McGraw said Monday, July 13, that the case is under review by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. Jeff Wattrick, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said the office is in communication with Auburn Hills police, but no charging decision had been made as of July 13.
Police, in its Facebook post, said the case was sent to the prosecutor’s office for review on July 13.
McGraw did not release any names, saying, “When it is appropriate, we will do so.” Police said in a release posted to Facebook on July 12 that officers from the department were patrolling the mall Saturday, July 11, when they received reports of gunfire in the food court. They found the man, 20, dead, and a woman, 19, with non-life-threatening injuries.
The shooter, a 22-year-old man who is a concealed pistol license holder, was taken into custody and was cooperating with the investigation. Police said in the post that the initial investigation showed the shooter and the male victim were involved in an altercation earlier in the food court.
Later, they said, the male victim and another man saw the shooter in the food court common area and attacked him. A physical altercation between the shooter and the men occurred when the shooting happened, police said.
The Free Press reached out to just over a half-dozen law enforcement agencies in southeast Michigan asking whether they were stepping up patrols around indoor malls in their communities in light of the shooting and another just over a week ago at Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, where two Detroit men, both 19, were killed July 3 during an incident between two groups, and as people may seek the malls’ cooling relief from this week’s heat.
McGraw said he and Police Chief Ryan Gagnon have been in communication with Great Lakes Crossing Outlets’ security director and mall management and have discussed additional focused patrols in and around the mall.
“Visitors and employees of the mall can expect to see more police presence moving forward. It should be noted that there were police officers at the mall at the time of the shooting on Saturday. Every Saturday evening, we provide extra police presence at the mall. That is something we have been doing for many years and plan to continue,” McGraw said.
He said police and mall management work closely and meet regularly to discuss issues and trends and that police are willing to assist mall management and the security department.
“The goal has always been to support a safe and secure location where people can come to visit and shop,” he said.
Troy Police Sgt. John Julian said there are two assigned officers to Somerset Collection all the time and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies also are there on weekends. He said they patrol outside as well as inside, and there also is mall security.
Julian said Troy officers who may be in the area of the mall also patrol it, even if they are not assigned to the mall. He said the department is not adding to what it is doing in light of the shootings at the other malls.
“We want everyone to have a safe shopping environment. We are cognizant this can happen anywhere and we have robust patrols already,” he said.
Novi Public Safety Commander Robert Manar said in an email “we have no comment on that topic.” Twelve Oaks Mall is in Novi. The Free Press left messages for other law enforcement agencies but did not immediately hear back from them.
Auburn Hills police is asking anyone who witnessed the shooting at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets to call them at 248-370-9444.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X: @challreporter.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Great Lakes Crossing Outlets shooting suspect released, case ongoing
Reporting by Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
