ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Clay County leadership is creating a plan to improve safety at the Orange Park Mall after a man was shot over in the mall’s parking lot over the weekend.
It’s not the first violent incident at the mall First Coast News has reported, and the recent shooting has some businesses in the area calling for increased security.
“Blanding brings a lot of traffic and we’re straight across from the Orange Park Mall so that's good for us," Jamal Rafidi, owner of 'On Time Fashion' said.
As an Orange Park native and business owner, Rafidi says the Orange Park Mall has always been a staple in the community.
“As kids, we didn’t really do much besides go to the mall, walk around, try to meet people, eat at the food court," Rafidi said.
But Saturday, the Clay County Sheriff's Office responded to gunfire in the mall’s parking lot and found a man shot in the arm.
This isn't the first time police have responded to a violent incident at the mall. Last February, multiple fights broke out between several groups of teens prompting a police response.
Following the latest shooting, Jim Renninger, chairman of the Clay County Board of Commissioners said in a statement:
“We continue to stand with Sheriff Cook in a zero-tolerance mindset against violence in our county. Last year, we met with mall leadership to discuss enhanced security measures and options to prevent the mall from becoming a center of unrest. I am planning to do the same again. We fully support the hard-working men and women of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and mall leadership as we stand as one to combat teen violence in our county."
Rafidi points to out-of-control teens as the source of the violence and says it hasn't kept customers out of the area.
“We have a really nice area, this is a really good place to be, everywhere you go you’re going to have a group of kids that act silly, so it is what it is, you just got to keep pushing," Rafidi said.
When asked about the incident, mall leadership said in a statement they were working with the Clay County Sheriff's Office in the ongoing investigation.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to download the SaferWatch App, which allows users to report tips and suspicious activity to police.