DAYTON, OH (FOX19) - The Middletown teen who was shot and killed at the Dayton Mall over the weekend was trying to steal shoes from a man with a concealed carry license, police say. Officials say the investigation shows that three male juveniles approached two men outside of the hhgregg store just after 10 a.m.. According to police, 16- year-old Jawaad Jabbar got out a gun and demanded merchandise from the men.
One of the men, who police say had a valid concealed carry license, produced his gun and shot Jabbar. Jabbar died from injuries sustained from the gunshot. "This was a random act of, 'I want something that person has and I'm going to take it from them,'” said Sgt. Jay Phares of the Miami Township Police Department.
Miami Township and Miamisburg police departments as well as the Montgomery County Sheriff's Officer and Dayton Mall security officers assisted with the investigation.
Police say all suspects were apprehended, witnesses were interviewed and several pieces of evidence were collected at the scene. Two male teenagers are now being held at the Montgomery County juvenile detention center awaiting charges.
According to authorities, all of the people directly involved in the incident were at the mall to attend a limited athletic shoe release sale. Police say the two groups did not know each other and they only communicated when an aggravated robbery was attempted.
Officials say Jabbar was the only person injured. The investigation is still ongoing.
“JJ was a good kid, making good decisions and turning his life around. Everytime he stepped on the field, he was determined to be the best player. It's upsetting that his life ended so soon and I just want to send prayers out to his family and he will really be missed,” a fellow football teammate, Messiah Haralson, told FOX19 NOW.
Middletown Middles athletics sent a tweet Saturday night in honor of Jabbar.
FOX19 NOW spoke to Jabbar's father by phone late Sunday. He says his son is a world-class young man, a good athlete and a good student.
Last week more than 200 people waited outside a Toledo area mall to get their hands on a limited edition of Air Jordan shoes. Toledo police had to set up barricades for the large crowd but some of shoppers pushed through the barricades, even knocking down some officers. Police were forced to deploy pepper spray balls to control the unruly crowd.
