Mall Shooting Leads To Arrest Of 2 Teens: Manatee County Sheriff

ELLENTON, FL — Two teens face charges in connection with a Sunday afternoon shooting in the east parking lot of Ellenton Premium Outlets, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Detectives determined 18-year-old Cristian Mireles and a 17-year-old suspect were in the same vehicle and shot multiple rounds at another car in the parking lot, the sheriff’s office said.

Though the sheriff’s office named both suspects, it is Patch's policy not to identify teens in the juvenile court system. It is not clear whether the 17-year-old suspect has been charged as a juvenile or an adult.

MCSO received reports of a shooting in the parking lot around 4:40 p.m.

Witnesses initially told deputies that people in two different vehicles were shooting at each other, but it doesn’t appear that the teenagers in the second car fired back, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators believe the shooting is related to an earlier argument between several teenagers.

At the time of the shooting, mall security alerted the stores and customers sheltered in place while deputies determined if there was an active threat, MCSO said. Deputies cleared the mall businesses to resume normal operations around 5:15 p.m.

There were no reports of gunshot wounds or other injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at 941-747-3011.