Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Friday afternoon at Dick’s House of Sport inside the Brandon Exchange Mall in Brandon, Florida, leaving one person dead and two others in custody.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the shopping center shortly before 4:30 p.m. on July 10 after receiving reports of gunfire inside the store. More than 30 deputies were dispatched to the scene, where an employee had called 911 after discovering an individual suffering from a gunshot wound inside a fitting room.
When deputies arrived, they located the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials have not yet released the victim’s identity pending notification of next of kin.
Investigators said preliminary surveillance footage shows three individuals entering Dick’s House of Sport together and walking toward the fitting room area. Moments later, only two people were seen running from the fitting room toward the parking lot around the same time emergency calls were received. Deputies quickly located and detained those two individuals in the parking lot without further incident.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage, executing search warrants, and gathering evidence to determine what led to the deadly incident. Authorities have not announced whether charges have been filed, and the identities of the detained individuals have not been released.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister praised the swift response of deputies, emphasizing that violence has no place in the community, particularly in public spaces where families gather. He noted that officers’ training enabled them to quickly secure the scene, detain those believed to be involved, and ensure there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Officials confirmed that mall employees and shoppers were safely evacuated from the immediate area, and the shopping center itself was not placed under a full lockdown during the investigation.
The investigation remains active, and additional information is expected to be released as detectives continue their work. Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the shooting to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
