A 15-year-old girl was injured after two groups of people exchanged gunfire inside the South Shore Plaza.
Braintree Police Chief Mark Dubois says the girl, an innocent bystander, was transported to a Boston Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Two suspects are in police custody.
Dubois said at 4:43 p.m. Friday, they started receiving 911 calls reporting shots being fired inside the Plaza.
“After an initial investigation, we determined that there was an altercation between two groups inside the Plaza, which resulted in gunshots from both groups at each other,” said Dubois.
The Plaza was locked down, and numerous law enforcement agencies, SWAT teams, and fire departments responded to the area.
“We received additional information that the two suspects that we believed to be shooting at each other fled across Granite Street. Braintree officers and help from surrounding communities secured an area,” said Dubois. “With a K9 search, we took two suspects into custody. We’re still trying to determine their identities and specific charges.”
Police recovered six shell casings at the scene, the incident remains under investigation.
Joshua Potcner, an Assistant Store Manager at Banana Republic said the shots sounded like fireworks at first.
“Which is why I hesitated for a minute. I went to the door, then I heard a bunch of people screaming,” said Potcner. “At that point, I realized it was definitely not fireworks. I immediately locked the doors and got everybody into the back.”
He said there were six employees, three customers, and a child at the store when the shooting occurred. After a brief lockdown, they were escorted out of the mall.
“Everybody got out safely through Nordstrom,” said Potcner. “The police did a great job getting us out in a pretty quick manner.”
Aidan Cafferty, 19-year-old from Whitman was getting drinks for friends inside the plaza when the incident occurred.
“Everybody was screaming, yelling, and running at us,” said Cafferty. “We tried to run into the store where our friends were, but they locked the doors, we couldn’t go in. We just ran to the nearest store, Finish Line. We were all in the back room.”
He said a SWAT team escorted them out. Late Friday night, police remained on scene making sure the scene was clear.
In February 2017, a similar lockdown took place after several shots were fired inside the Macy’s shoe department at the Plaza. Michael Spence, 26, was sentenced to five to six years in prison after he plead guilty in connection to that incident.
“We’ve had enough incidents here in Braintree over the last few years that our officers, they’re just very disciplined, professional, and there’s no hesitation to do what needs to be done,” said Deputy Chief Michael Want. “On the training side of it, we’ve had the support of the town, the Chief, to make sure there’s adequate and necessary equipment in the cars.”
Want says regular rescue task force training takes place with the fire department in preparation for large-scale incidents.
“Braintree Police here tonight did a tremendous job,” said Mayor Charles Kokoros. “I just want to thank them, and I want to thank all of the surrounding police departments that came here tonight. It was their professionalism and their hard work which really made a difference.”
SWAT teams geared up outside the Nordstrom at the Braintree Plaza. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
A woman is reunited with her daughter, who was locked down in the plaza when the shooting occurred. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Groups of people were escorted out of the plaza after they were locked down in stores. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
A METRO LEC SWAT member operates a drone during the incident. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Armored bear cat units from METRO SWAT on scene. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Numerous law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Fire departments staged at the plaza parking lot. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Braintree Police Chief Mark Dubois and Mayor Charles Kokoros provide an update. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
