UPDATE: OPD has persons of interest in disturbance at Paddock Mall in Ocala
Ocala Police Department vehicles at Paddock Mall in Ocala on May 10, 2026. [Photo by Jennifer Hunt/Ocala Gazette]
UPDATE 9:57 a.m.: The Ocala Police Department has posted to images of persons of interest in the disturbance at the Paddock Mall on May 10.
We are looking for information about the identities of these individuals. They are persons of interest related to the May 10 altercation incident at the Paddock Mall.
If you have any information on the identities of these individuals, please call Detective Camacho at 352-369-7000 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-STOP (7867) or **TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.
If you use Crime Stoppers and your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.
To see the images, go to fb.com/OcalaPoliceDepartment
UPDATE: 4:34 p.m. email message from OPD – Today, at around 1:25 p.m., law enforcement officers responded to the Paddock Mall in Southwest Ocala due to a report of a shooting. The investigation determined there was an altercation between two individuals, during which one person brandished a firearm. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported.
The incident remains under investigation. No arrests have been made. The mall will remain closed for the remainder of the business day. OPD will maintain a presence on scene for security.
ORIGINAL POST: Law enforcement agencies responded Sunday afternoon to a reported disturbance at Paddock Mall after witnesses said a large crowd began running through the mall and reports surfaced that someone may have displayed a gun.
A Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was seen circling above the mall while Ocala Police Department units staged around the property. Employees from several stores gathered outside as officers entered the building.
According to Sarah Safford, assistant manager at Rack Room Shoes, the incident began around 1:25 p.m.
“A crowd of people started running,” Safford said.
Employees did not report hearing gunshots but were told there had been a fight inside the mall and that someone had shown a gun.
Safford said that minutes later, armed officers entered the mall through JCPenney and stores were placed on lockdown.
Crystal Suarez, an employee at Rack Room Shoes, shared text messages with the “Gazette” and confirmed the timeline through communication with her sister. Employees at the store said they did not hear any shots fired.
In a statement posted Sunday afternoon, the Ocala Police Department said officers responded to a report of a shooting at the mall but “found no evidence that a shooting had occurred.”
Police said there remains a large presence from both OPD and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at the scene as officers continue investigating and work to clear the mall. Authorities said they expect the mall to resume normal operations shortly and that additional updates will be released as more information becomes available.
Authorities have not reported any injuries.
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