1 killed, 1 injured in 'targeted' Orland Park mall shooting; gunman remains at large

CHICAGO (SUN TIMES MEDIA WIRE) - One man was killed and another was injured in a shooting Monday evening at a mall in south suburban Orland Park, police said.

The shooting happened about 6:45 p.m. at a lower level food court at the Orland Square Mall near 151st Street and La Grange Road, according to Orland Park police.

Police identified the suspected shooter as 19-year-old Jakharr Williams, a University Park resident. Williams has an active warrant for his arrest on a parole violation and authorities said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Williams was seen in an altercation with Javon Britten, 18, when he pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Britten in the chest and grazing a bystander's leg, police and the Cook County medical examiner's office said.

Britten staggered from the food court area to a nearby H&M clothing store, where he collapsed, officials said.

First responders were there in minutes and took Britten to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died, authorities said. An autopsy Tuesday found he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

The bystander, who is believed to be a man between 18 and 19 years old, was treated at a hospital in La Grange, Mitchell said. Williams fled the area heading east.

Mitchell said the shooter and victim knew each other, and that the shooting was an isolated incident.

The mall closed following the shooting and police escorted shoppers outside after they "sheltered in place" inside stores, Mitchell said. Families searching for their relatives were told to go to Art Van furniture at 15080 S. La Grange Road, where customers were taken from the mall.

Earlier, some people at the mall reported on social media that they were locked in different areas of the mall after the shooting.

"I'm locked down in my stock room at work," wrote one Twitter user. "There's an active shooter at Orland Park mall."

One video posted to social media showed police helping someone on the ground at the mall. Other videos from the scene showed emergency personnel swarming the scene.