OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A young man shot and wounded a 15-year-old boy inside a south Oklahoma City mall Saturday, then was shot and killed by an off-duty sheriff's deputy, authorities said. The gunfire erupted at Crossroads Mall shortly after 6:30 p.m. local time.
The wounded boy was taken to a nearby hospital in fair condition, according to ambulance company spokeswoman Lara O'Leary.
The names of the alleged gunman and the victim were not immediately released. The age of the dead youth was not immediately known, but paramedics said he appeared to be about the same age as the wounded teen.
Both were shot near the entrance to a JC Penney Co. store. There were several people inside the mall at the time, but there were no other injuries, said sheriff's department spokesman Mark Myers.
The motive for the shooting was not known, Myers said.
The deputy, whose name also was not released, was taking a break while working security at the mall, Myers said.
"We had a deputy who was here who was on his lunch break and he heard a commotion downstairs, kind of like a couple of guys fighting, then he heard a gunshot," Myers said.
The deputy went to a railing and looked down to the first floor of the mall where he saw a young man with a gun.
"He turned around with the gun, our deputy shot him, killed the person with the gun," Myers said.
Oklahoma City police have been asked to assist in the investigation into the shooting, Myers said, and the deputy will not be placed on leave during the investigation, unless he requests time off.
"The sheriff doesn't believe, depending on circumstances, does not believe in suspending anyone for doing his job," Myers said.
"It depends on if he wants to take time off, he will be allowed to do so."
