Men charged with attempted first-degree murder in Cross Creek Mall shooting

The Fayetteville Police Department said Jahrehl Malloy, 21, and Nyhgil Kirk, 24, were arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, felony conspiracy and five counts of property damage. Both were being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center under a $1 million secured bonds.

No one was injured after a fight inside the mall escalated in the parking lot, which sent bullets flying, hitting the building and several cars.

Police on Friday said a 22-year-old man, who will not be identified for his own safety, was the suspects' intended target, so the shooting was not random. According to police, one of the suspects hid behind a car in the mall parking lot while the other approached the victim on foot as he exited the food court.

Both suspects started shooting at the victim, who was able to avoid the bullets.

Police officers stopped the suspects at a traffic stop near the mall and arrested them.

Debbie Basile was at the mall with her two grandchildren when the shooting happened. She said when she first arrived she heard fighting.

"We walked on in through the glass doors at the food court, and by the time the doors shut behind us, they unloaded. I wasn't counting but there had to be 15 or more rounds firing," Basile said. "They opened fire, and I mean bullets, they were hitting the glass. They were loud. There were, you know, pow, pow, pow ... nonstop and everyone took off running."

A Victoria's Secret employee let Basile and her grandchildren into the store's backroom to hide. Police escorted the family back to the parking lot.

"When I was able to get back around to my truck, I was blocked in by cones and cops because that's where all the shell casings were at," Basile said.

Shoppers WRAL News talked to on Friday called the senseless gun violence sad, and worry it could keep people away from the normally busy mall.

“A lot of back-to-school people that come here, a lot won’t come now,” shopper Dennis Kilpatrick said. “Would you come if there was a shooting going on?”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective M. O’Hara at 910-605-6393 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).