Valley Fair mall shooting suspect arrested: 17-year-old has prior firearm arrest, police say

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose police on Monday announced an arrest following the triple shooting at Valley Fair Mall on the day after Thanksgiving.

On social media, the police wrote, "Ladies and gentlemen, we got him. Last night SJPD located and arrested the suspect responsible for the triple shooting at Valley Fair Mall" on Friday. 

It turns out, the person arrested was a 17-year-old, who had been previously identified as someone suspected of gang activity by police, according to SJPD Chief Paul Joseph.  

They shared an image of the back of what appeared to be a young man in black Levi's and a gray sweatshirt with his hands tied behind his back.  

Police did not identify the suspect responsible for the shooting on Friday at 5:30 p.m. outside the women's Macy's because he is a juvenile. The Santa Clara County District Attorney said a woman helped the shooting suspect escape and that the pair are facing charges. 

'Gang-related clothing'

At a late afternoon news conference, following the announcement of the arrest, police Chief Joseph said the Black Friday post-holiday event took on a dark turn at the popular South Bay mall. He said it was miraculous that no one was killed. 

"Instead of the usual holiday hustle and bustle, gunfire ripped through Valley Fair Mall while thousands of people were inside," said Chief Joseph. "On a day built around door busters and discounts, families were diving for cover instead of diving for deals."

Joseph said a group of individuals had decided to go to the mall wearing what he called "gang-related clothing." One of them had a gun tucked inside his waistband, according to police. The Chief of Police said a conflict arose with an "apparent rival gang" inside the mall. 

Joseph said the juvenile suspect who opened fire at the mall was accompanied by a 21-year-old woman pushing a stroller with a baby inside. 

Earlier, investigators said a verbal altercation escalated when a man pulled a firearm from his waistband and fired several rounds. The suspect's intended target, an adult male, was shot and injured, Joseph said. 

In addition, a woman and a 16-year-old girl, both bystanders, were struck by gunfire. All three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police said everyone who was shot is now out of the hospital. 

Police initially said the incident was gang-related, but that the circumstances were under investigation. At the news conference, the police chief said since Friday they have reviewed hours of surveillance footage, interviewed witnesses across two cities, and coordinated with their partner agencies. 

The suspect was arrested at a San Jose residence. Joseph said automated license plate reader technology was used in this investigation. 

Woman pushing stroller and prior firearm arrest 

Chief Joseph said he was limited in what he could say about the juvenile suspect, but did say he had a prior firearm arrest and appeared to have faced little to no consequences and then got another gun and ended up escalating his violence. 

The Chief said the suspect fled from SJPD officers in February of this year. The suspect had a loaded gun in his waistband and was deferred to a probationary program, according to police.

"In California, our laws do not treat gun violence with meaningful consequences," Joseph said, adding that for juveniles, those consequences are almost nonexistent. He pleaded for lawmakers to look into reforming what he considered a flawed system. Joseph said he was confident District Attorney Jeff Rosen would take this gun violence seriously. 

Rosen spoke at the conference. He called the shooting "terrorism." He said the D.A.'s office will file serious charges against at least two individuals, including the shooter, in the next two days. Details of those charges will be made at the arraignment in a couple of days, Rosen said. 

Rosen clarified that there is at least one person who assisted the shooter following the incident, who is essentially being looked at as an accessory after the fact. 

"There is an additional individual who will be charged with allowing and facilitating the escape of the shooter from the scene before the shooter and the individual that helped the shooter escape were apprehended by the police department," Rosen said. He identified that additional person as the woman with the stroller. 

Rosen clarified that there may be other charges brought up against individuals who helped the shooter hide from police, but at this point they are focused on the shooter and the woman with the stroller. 

Rosen said that the woman with the stroller and the shooter are not married, but they have a "familial relationship". He also said that the baby in the stroller was not the child of the shooter. 

Mayor Matt Mahan said while the suspect caused bodily harm to a few victims, he caused emotional harm to many. "The videos flying around on social media paint a picture of fear," Mahan said. "We are so lucky that no one lost their life at Valley Fair on Friday." 

The mayor thanked police and emergency workers. "Guns are not toys and they should not be in the hands of teenagers."

He also echoed the police chief's call for stricter consequences for gun violence, saying the system as it exists, provides an incentive for gangs to recruit "children" at younger ages. 

Terror at the mall 

One worker at the mall told KTVU they were on break at the time of the shooting.

"I didn't know what was happening," he said. "I was really confused because I went into the restroom."

He said that when the shots rang out, he and his co-workers ran and hid in the storeroom of the shop where they worked.

What's next:

D.A. Rosen said the charges will be disclosed at the arraignment for the shooter and the unidentified woman pushing the stroller on Wednesday, Dec. 3. 

San JoseCrime and Public SafetySan Jose Police DepartmentMatt MahanNews