After a shooting broke out during an apparent Jordan sneaker release at a Metro Atlanta mall, residents are concerned over the violence affecting their community.
Stonecrest Mall, located in Dekalb County, Georgia, underwent a lockdown after a shooting in the early hours of Feb. 28. Law enforcement shut the mall down as they investigated the scene that left one person injured.
Police arrived to the scene promptly after receiving a call about the shooting, according to WSB-TV. Several police cruisers and SWAT team trucks appeared to potentially stop any further violence.
Dekalb police confirmed two people faced arrests for their involvement in the shoutout, which reportedly started over an attempted robbery. While the motive remains unclear, Complex noted how the shooting occurred during the release of the “Wolf Grey” Air Jordan 5 sneaker drop.
The injured person is expect to survive, as the gunshot wound only impacted their hand. The ordeal left the mall vacant for nearly all of Saturday, a popular shopping day for visitors.
Shoppers and business owners endured the hours-long delay due to the crime, with some community members worried about how the incident will impact the area.
“[It’s] causing trouble that is going to affect everyone in the community,” expressed Lisa Jefferson, who owns Sip and Frost Cake Bar, located across from the mall. “As I’m looking out my window, there are no cars in the mall parking lot, and that’s so sad.”
Although Stonecrest returned to regular business hours on Sunday, the crucial time lost meant less profits gained for entrepreneurs in the vicinity.
“On a Saturday, knowing what happened at the mall, I’m not going to make a whole bunch of money today,” Jefferson told the news outlet.
The entrepreneur thinks the city of Stonecrest should do more to ramp up security so residents can feel safe shopping at local stores. Although it is unknown if the attempted robbery was meant to snatch the coveted sneakers, patrons and owners are fed up with how the violence could impact the area’s future.
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