At Charlotte's Eastland Mall, Shootings Prompt Review of Security

Two people were slightly injured in Charlotte's Eastland Mall parking lot Saturday evening by what witnesses say were projectiles fired from a shotgun.

It was the second incident involving guns in less than a week at the east Charlotte mall and comes after mall managers say they have increased security.

At about 7:25 p.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old Charlotte woman was struck in the right leg, but the skin was not broken, according to a police report.

A second victim, a 16-year-old Garinger High School student was hit in the upper lip. Both declined to be taken to a hospital.

A week ago a man was shot near the food court after a fight involving up to a dozen men, one of whom showed up at a hospital hours later with non life-threatening injuries, police said.

That shooting has caused concern among Eastland Mall store owners who fear the shooting -- and the negative attention it brought -- will impede business during the busy holiday shopping season.

Eastland Mall general manager Marvin Snyder said Sunday that the mall has re-evaluated its security measures since last week's shooting, although he would not elaborate on changes other than to say the mall has increased personnel. The changes come on top of additional security the mall has put in place for the holiday shopping season.

Two mobile patrol security officers were close by when the shootings happened Saturday night, Snyder said.

"Our patrol officers were around," Snyder said. "They were fairly close to the scene."

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