ORLAND PARK, Illinois — A manhunt is underway to locate the man suspected in a fatal shooting at Orland Square Mall Monday night.
Orland Park police identified Jakharr Williams, 19, of University Park, as the suspect Tuesday morning.
Police said Williams is suspected of fatally shooting Javon Britten, 18, of Richton Park, at the mall near the food court. Britten ran down an escalator and collapsed outside the H&M clothing store, authorities said.
Britten was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
A bystander suffered a graze wound to the leg and was taken to another hospital, police said.
Police say Williams has an active parole warrant and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Police received numerous 911 calls about 6:45 p.m. about a shooting on the mall's lower level, near the food court.
The suspect, described as black, about 20 years old and 6 foot 1 with dark clothing and blue jeans, was seen running east out of the mall, police said.
Britten and the man knew each other, according to a news release from Orland Park police. The suspect has not yet been located.
Police temporarily closed the mall to process the crime scene and search the property.
Multiple south suburban police departments, a SWAT team, and the Illinois State Police responded and searched the mall, slowly letting employees and shoppers leave as they looked for the shooter and evacuated the property. People posted on Twitter they were locked in their stores and hiding in clothes racks for safety after gunfire erupted.
One posted a video of police officers tending to a fallen man between a kiosk and a clothing store on the first floor of the mall.
Jay Yasin, 19, of Orland Hills, was working at Build-A-Bear when the shooting happened. She said her “manager shut the door instantly" and they hid in the back room with customers.
Reginald Williams, 23, of Harvey, was "just chilling" in the food court with his friend, 24-year-old Darryl Simmons, of Harvey, when the shooting happened.
“We heard gunfire, and everyone started scattering,” Williams said.
They ran out of the mall when it happened. They said people were running everywhere and police were running in.
Williams said he wishes everyone would “just stop the violence.”
The two-story mall at 288 Orland Square Drive off South LaGrange Road is a popular destination for shoppers from throughout the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana.
Anyone with information should contact the Orland Park Police at 708-349-4111 or [email protected].
Check back at nwi.com for updates to this story.
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