Police said Tuesday that there was a manhunt underway for the suspect believed to have fatally shot a teen at an Orland Park mall, asking for the public's help and saying the suspected gunman was considered "armed and dangerous."
Orland Park police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Jakharr Williams, of the 600 block of Madisen Lane in University Park, saying he had an active parole warrant.
Investigators believed Williams was the man who fatally shot an 18-year-old man at Orland Square Mall on Monday evening, according to police.
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 victim 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.
The Cook County medical examiner's office later identified the victim as Javon Britten, of the 22900 block of Millard Avenue in Richton Park.
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.
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Mitchell said an innocent bystander also suffered a graze wound during the gunfire and took themselves to a hospital in La Grange.
Police said they believe Williams and Britten knew one another, and that the shooting was an isolated incident.
Williams 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.
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.”
Anyone with information on the shooting was asked to contact Orland Park police at (708) 349-4111 or via email at crimetips@orlandpark.org.
