A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder over a mall shooting that took the life of a 21-year-old man.
Mahki Woolridge-Jones is accused of killing Trequez Swift at an Omaha mall on Saturday.
The suspect’s brother, 18-year-old Brandon Wooldrige-Jones, was also arrested on a charge of being an accessory to the fatal shooting.
Terrified shoppers ran for their lives as shots rang out at the mall. Swift was rushed to a hospital in Omaha where he later died.
A 22-year-old woman named Ja’Keya Veland was shot in the leg but her wounds are not considered life-threatening.
Alyha Wills, one of the shoppers who ran for the exit, told Omaha World Herald that she was in Forever 21 with her sisters when they heard the gunfire.
“It was shocking,” she said. “I could hear it. It was close.”
The teens were identified as brothers in a previous court filing their own mother submitted in 2016. Both of them have been booked in at Douglas County Jail.
Authorities said that a third man has been identified as a person of interest but did not reveal his name.
Officials had described the incident as a ‘potential active shooter’ situation.
According to reports, this is the second shooting at Westroads Mall in less than two months.
On March 12, Omaha Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck was shot multiple times by a 21-year-old gunman who was accused of shoplifting clothes from J.C. Penny.
“Makhi Woolridge-Jones has been safely apprehended. Thanks again for all the communities help,” Deputiy Chief Ken Kanger wrote on Twitter.
“The investigation is ongoing but two suspects now have been arrested. More info soon from the PIO.
“Tremendous work by all the Ofc’s & Detectives since the incident occurred.”
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