Monroeville Mall Shooting Raises Concerns for Unsupervised Minors

If+malls+locally+adopt+policies+like+that+in+place+at+the+Monroeville+Mall+then+random+selfies+like+this++will+be+a+lot+less+common.

Devin Poplin

If malls locally adopt policies like that in place at the Monroeville Mall then random selfies like this will be a lot less common.

Phoebe Potter, Local News Editor

Many students at Bellwood-Antis are acquainted with and visit Pittsburgh quite often. However, on Monday, February 7, 2015 Mary and Thomas Singleton, innocent bystanders at the Monroeville Mall in Pittsburgh, Pa, were shot.

Luckily, Mary Singleton was only shot in the shoulder and Thomas Singleton was shot in the leg, so there were no deaths. They are, however, going to have a long time to recover, physically and mentally.

You don’t know everyone and how everyone thinks. The person sitting next to you could be a psycho for all you know

— Trenton Creppage

The alleged shooter was Tarod Thornhill, 17, and his “accomplice” was Davon Jones, 20. The shooting occurred around 7:35 that evening inside Macy’s. Thornhill’s intended target was Jones, who was shot in the left buttock and pelvic area, said police.

Due to concerns of unsupervised minors being involved in mall shootings officials proclaimed a new policy within 24 hours of the incident. It requires that anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult on weekend evenings at the mall.

It is because of situations like these that many other locations across the country have made it a requirement that minors cannot be unsupervised under certain conditions.

Blair County is no exception to mall disturbances. On November 26, 2014 at 8:45 pm two man went into Kranich’s Jewelers and stole nearly a quarter million dollars of merchandise.

Senior Trenton Creppage thinks that it is possible for there to be a shooting in our area.

“You don’t know everyone and how everyone thinks. The person sitting next to you could be a psycho for all you know,” stated Creppage.

Although he wouldn’t like to see it happen, he does think that malls could make it mandatory that all minors must be supervised during certain times.