After he evaded capture for a week, police finally arrested the man who allegedly shot two people in an Alabama mall in a Thanksgiving night incident that involved an active shooter, protests, and the death of an innocent man who was accused of being a criminal.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. Marshalls and South Fulton police arrested 20-year-old Erron Martez Dequan Brown at a relative’s house. U.S. Marshal Frank Lumpka said officials received a tip Brown was staying with a relative in Fairburn, Ga., just minutes outside of Atlanta and about two hours from Hoover, Ala., where Brown allegedly shot 18-year-old Brian Wilson twice during a fight at the Riverchase Galleria Mall late Thanksgiving evening. A 12-year-old is also alleged to have been shot, but authorities have not said by whom.
Police initially blamed both shootings on 21-year-old Emantic Bradford Jr., who a Hoover police officer shot and killed on the scene after saying that Bradford “brandished” a gun. The next day, the Hoover Police Department retracted the accusation and subsequent information showed Bradford was licensed to carry.
“We are gratified at the arrest of a suspect in the Thanksgiving Riverchase Galleria mall shooting, further underscoring the unjust death of EJ Bradford Jr.,” said attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Bradford’s family, adding:
“Right now, EJ’s family is focused on planning their son’s funeral, to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Boutwell Memorial Auditorium. They look forward to reviewing unaltered video evidence of the shooting next week, after properly remembering and honoring EJ and enduring the painful process of burying their son.”
In a statement following Brown’s arrest, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Brown is expected to be charged with attempted murder and extradited from Georgia to the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham with a bond set at $150,000.