RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Ocean Mall is Singer Island's retail and restaurant heartbeat, and some owners fear that a shooting on Memorial Day will keep customers away.
Pictures from a Singer Island resident, who did not want to be named, showed a massive police presence at the Ocean Mall shopping center.
Police said several shots were fired near the 2600 block of North Ocean Avenue. A man was shot in the arm and taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
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In a separate incident nearby, 30 minutes after the shooting, police arrested a child, who was in possession of a handgun.
Police said they also arrested a convicted felon during a traffic stop in the area, who was in possession of a gun and marijuana.
Business owners and workers said the Ocean Mall is a safe place, however, they worry incidents like this one, and the shooting in Hollywood Beach on Memorial Day, could scare a few customers from going out.
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"The police presence is pretty heavy. I mean, they're in here all the time. I haven't really been that worried," a man said. "But the more this keeps on happening, you know, it's not like it can't not stick in the back of your mind. You know and you can't stop everything."
Riviera Beach has planned a large police presence over July 4 weekend. Business owners hope it discourages violence as they hoped the heart of Singer Island's restaurant retail district doesn't take another hit.