Judge orders no bond for man accused in shooting at Paddock Mall in Ocala

Albert Shell Jr. arrested in Dec. 23 shooting

OCALA, Fla. – The man accused of shooting and killing a 40-year-old man and injuring a woman at Paddock Mall in Ocala during the holidays was ordered to be held without bond during a Tuesday morning hearing.

Albert Shell Jr. was arrested early Monday in Marion County. Shell had been on the run since Dec. 23 after multiple shots were fired at the mall, located at 3100 SW College Road.

He appeared before a judge Tuesday morning and received no bond. A pre-trial detention hearing was set for Feb. 13.

Police said the department was able to arrest him with the help of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service (Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force).

Police said they believe that Shell had specifically targeted David Barron, 40, though a woman was also struck by gunfire during the shooting.

David Barron, 40, was shot and killed at Paddock Mall in Ocala on Dec. 23. (Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

“We know the victim had a prior relationship with Mr. Shell,” Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken said during a news conference. “I don’t want to really go into details about the motives now in this case, but I know reasonably that this wasn’t anything other than a beef between two individuals that was resolved in a mall with a gun.”

According to investigators, Barron was found dead inside the mall in front of the Macys and Starbucks after being chased by Shell, who was wearing a mask. Police said Barron tried to fight him off.


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About the Author

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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