SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police said Friday morning that they arrested one of three suspects after a loss prevention officer was shot at North Star Mall on Halloween night.
Police say three suspects entered a department store around 8 p.m. Tuesday and began gathering large amounts of merchandise, which attracted the attention of two loss prevention officers. According to an arrest affidavit, two of the suspects were heading towards an exit in Macy's when one of the officers approached the suspects while another positioned himself outside the exit doors.
Once confronted by the loss prevention officers, police say, one of the suspects, an unidentified woman, fled on foot. According to investigators, the other suspect identified as 53-year-old Edwardo Sanchez Jr., got into a struggle with the officers. Police say a third loss prevention officer, 29-year-old Erika Castillo-Don, tried to assist when Sanchez pulled out a handgun and shot Castillo-Don in the thigh before fleeing towards a car in the parking lot.
According to arrest records, one of the officers was able to move Castillo-Don to a safer location inside Macy's.
Police say the third suspect fled in a different direction as law enforcement were starting to arrive.
The car Sanchez was reportedly seen in was seized by SAPD. A background check on the car led them to identifying him as the suspect, and he was taken into custody Friday.
Police say Sanchez confessed and now faces three counts of aggravated robbery. Castillo-Don, meanwhile, was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
At the time of the shooting, authorities focused on rescuing her before evacuating the store and starting their search. SAPD Sgt. Bobby Bradley said the incident did not meet police criteria to be considered an active shooter situation.
"We're pretty sure they left (the mall)," Bradley said around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, referring to two suspects, a man and a woman. Police later said they were searching for three suspects but gave no other details.
Macy's released a statement Wednesday, saying they were "saddened about the incident" and were working with SAPD on the ongoing investigation.
"The safety of our customers and our colleagues is our top priority," the company said.
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“I just heard shots and I went running to grab my stuff,” said one shopper KENS 5 talked to, who was inside when the gunfire rang out. “It’s very disturbing.”
It's the third shooting at North Star Mall this year, and comes right before the holiday rush.
“I definitely can say I have avoided going to the mall,” said Danielle Haywood.
Haywood says she's been a consistent customer for about 15 years.
“It was my mall," she said. "I took my kids there. I was actually one of the first 100 people at the Disney store during their grand opening. I also worked [at North Star Mall] for several years and never had any sort of fear for my own safety."
The recent shootings have rattled her, though.
“If I have to go to the mall, it’s La Cantera," said Haywood. "Otherwise, I am shopping online. To walk in and see more security [at North Star Mall] would definitely help them through the holiday season."
North Star Mall's management company Brookfield Properties also released a statement in response to the shooting, emphasizing a commitment to enhancing security.
"We are sad this incident, which was directly related to a retail theft apprehension, occurred at our property. Unfortunately, we are not immune to the increase in property crime that has been occurring in the community. We will continue to evaluate our security protocols to maintain North Star as a safe and beloved place for the community."
The president of SMR Security Services Shishman Rimpson explained how loss prevention officers try to blend in with customers and monitor security footage while uniformed security guards tend to stand out to deter crime. He just hopes malls and businesses in general take a hard look at their protocols to ensure the safest environment for not only colleagues working security but customers as well.
“They have loss prevention that works hand in hand with security and I think that’s most of the time your best output in really trying to secure and protect assets and people," Rimpson said. "I’m just praying that during this season, companies and businesses are doing their due diligence to make sure that their staff is taken care of, that they’re trained properly. That they’re using their best judgement at the end of the day.”
North Star Mall visitors also experienced a shooting in June, when police said 32-year-old Adam Glass was shot and killed while he was getting a haircut. No one has been arrested in that shooting yet.
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