Mall should allow CCW holders, advocate says

Deadly shooting of teen during robbery attempt sparks discussion.

Law-abiding concealed carry weapons permit holders should be allowed to carry their firearms in private businesses that cannot guarantee their customers will not encounter criminals, according to a representative of a state firearms advocacy group.

Joe Eaton, southwest region leader of the Buckeye Firearms Association and Warren County resident, said permit holders should be allowed to carry their firearms into malls.

“Unless the Dayton Mall can absolutely guarantee all of their shoppers that none of the criminals are going to be on the property, then it only makes sense to let each individual decide how they are best going to keep themselves or their families safe as they’re out in public,” Eaton said.

Saturday’s deadly shooting outside the Dayton mall is a perfect example of why permit holders should be allowed to carry weapons into malls, he said.

A CCW permit holder shot and killed a 16-year-old who Miami Twp. Police said was attempting to rob the permit holder of his newly purchased athletic shoes.

The shooting happened around 10 a.m. outside the mall after three juveniles approached the permit holder, who was with another adult male. At least one of the juveniles had a firearm, according to Miami Twp. Police Sgt. Jay Phares.

The teen who died was identified as Jawaad Jabbar of Middletown. Police said Jabbar was shot once. He was pronounced dead at 10:55 a.m. on Saturday at Kettering Medical Center, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Family members are planning his funeral, which is set to be held sometime soon in Columbus.

“This (permit holder), his life was put into danger. He had the means and the ability to go home to his family and to be able to celebrate the holidays with this family. It’s unfortunate that the criminal was only 16 years old,” Eaton said. “But when he decided to move from smaller crimes to armed robbery, that unfortunately was the decision that he made.”

The Dayton Mall’s standards of conduct state that the mall and its parking lot are private property. The standards also state that the mall “reserves the right to prohibit any conduct or activity which it deems, in its sole discretion, violates this policy.” One of the examples stated is “carrying or possessing any weapons of any kind, including weapons carried pursuant to a valid license.”

“If any private business, whether its a mall or any other location, decides to restrict that, they have the right to restrict that. The law says that if you knowingly violate a posted location, it is a criminal trespass charge,” Eaton said.

Phares would not identify the adult male shooter. He also declined to comment on where the bullet struck Jabbar, the types of firearms involved or if Jabbar was the teen holding the firearm that was pointed at the adults.

“Our investigation is ongoing. We have nothing further to release,” Phares said Tuesday.

Two male juveniles, ages 16 and 17, who reportedly fled the scene were caught and taken to the Montgomery County Juvenile Intervention Center, pending the filing of formal charges.

The teens appeared in the county juvenile court on Sunday, according to Derrick Moore, a father of one of the arrested teens.

The teens are now scheduled to appear in the county juvenile court on Dec. 30, according to Greg Flannagan, spokesman for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Donald Baker, 66, of Moraine, said he was attempting to enter hhgregg when he heard a gunshot and saw a juvenile run from the scene.

Baker, a retired U.S. Army veteran, described the juvenile as having short black hair, wearing a black waist-length jacket, dark jeans and tennis shoes. This juvenile was not carrying anything in his hands.

Baker said he heard one gunshot. “I was trying to see what was going on that way. Everybody was standing around and surprised. I took about 10 more feet and I saw the body laying out in front of the sidewalk area attached to the mall stores. It wasn’t five seconds when a male came running down right beside me, running west and I was walking east.”

The juvenile then hid around the corner of a section of the mall building, according to Baker.

“ He saw me and I got a look at his face a little bit and he just … running like heck, west down through the mall area,” Baker said. “So, I don’t know how he was involved.”

Baker then continued his walk to hhgregg, but was stopped by a Miami Twp. police officer. He gave a statement to that officer.

Despite the incident, Baker said he still feels it is safe to shop at the Dayton Mall.

“I feel it’s safe. What happened there is happening quite often and it doesn’t matter where you live or what kind of neighborhood, it can happen,” he said.

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