SYRACUSE, NY. (THECOUNT) — In the aftermath of the Destiny USA Black Friday shooting, General Manager Rob Schoeneck has gone mostly mute. And now, Syracuse.com is calling him out on that silence in resounding Sunday editorial post, “Destiny USA owes public answers about shooting response.”
Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick has made suggestions and may actually be onto something, saying Destiny USA needs to “make it uncomfortable” for troublemakers to congregate at the mall.
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At least the DA said something to address public safety concerns over the shooting that happened during a dispute in which a mall patron was shot in the leg near the mall’s crowded food court.
By its silence, Destiny USA has adopted a posture of an organization with something to hide, asserts Syracuse.com Sunday morning.
Schoeneck made scant remarks at a news conference held by Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner the day after the shooting praising police “response” and “guests” and retail worker’s “years and years” of practicing for an emergency. But the shopping public is saying something completely different.
They [shoppers] had no idea what was happening. Was that loud bang a firecracker, as police originally thought, or a gunshot? Should they evacuate the mall, or shelter in place? Expecting visitors from Canada or Rochester to log onto Twitter for updates is not how to communicate in a crisis. They needed to hear an announcement over the public address system, writes Syracuse.
Absent any instructions, shoppers relied on the quick thinking of store employees who crammed them into back rooms, fitting rooms and bathrooms to hide from a possible mass shooter. The stories of how they calmed and cared for panicked shoppers, young children and people with limited mobility are simply remarkable.
Destiny USA isn’t talking, but more than a week later, many questions remain about the mall’s response to the gunfire:
How did it communicate threats to tenants and shoppers? Why did some store managers send people out into the mall, when others told them to shelter in place?
How many police officers and security people were on duty that night?
Why weren’t moviegoers on the mall’s third level alerted to the shooting?
Was that a conscious decision to avert panic over an incident that was no longer a threat to public safety, or an oversight?
Why wasn’t an “all clear” broadcast on the public address system when police had determined the threat was over?
Does the mall have an active shooter protocol? How often is it practiced? Is it more or less often than our schoolchildren are drilled?
Did mall security cameras capture the shooting?
Is there a plan for the orderly evacuation of the mall and its parking lots?
Many who fled the building in a panic found themselves stuck in an epic traffic jam, with no one to direct traffic except civilian volunteers.
What is Destiny USA doing now to assess and improve its emergency response and preparedness?
Destiny USA is private property, but it owes the public some answers — not least because it was built with plenty of support from city, county and state taxpayers.
Kyree Truax was arrested in connection to the shooting that left one victim with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Truax, 21, faces charges of second-degree assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree reckless endangerment, Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said at a news conference Saturday.
Syracuse Police tweeted that a male victim suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. A suspect is on-the-run, according to Syracuse officials Friday night.
Confirmed shooting at the Destiny USA mall. One male victim with a gunshot wound to the leg. Non life threatening. Suspect not located . Avoid food court area
— Syracuse Police Department (@SyracusePolice) November 30, 2019
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Geo quick facts: Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Yonkers – wikipedia.