MOA surveillance captures shooting, confrontation at Nike store last August
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - For the first time, FOX 9 can take you inside the Nike Store at Mall of America and show you the chaos of a frightening shooting last August.
One of those involved in the violent confrontation was sentenced for his role, though his attorney claims the whole incident was a case of self-defense with the instigators getting off with zero consequences.
The shooting sent shockwaves through the crowded mall in the heart of the busy summer tourist and shopping season.
In the immediate aftermath, authorities put out an all-points bulletin for the two main suspects, Shamar Lark and Rashad May, who were eventually arrested in Chicago.
Hennepin County District Court Judge William Koch sentenced May on Tuesday. He avoided prison time, and instead will spend approximately two and a half months at a Hennepin County Adult Correctional Facility. No one was injured in the gunfire.
May’s defense attorney Lee Wolfgram played surveillance video from the Nike Store at sentencing from a fisheye camera in the ceiling that captured the entirety of the violent altercation. FOX 9 subsequently obtained a copy of the video. May can be seen in an orange t-shirt approaching the cash register. His buddy and eventual shooter, Lark is wearing a white tank top and blue baseball cap.
In his presentation to the court, Wolfgram isolated a group of apparent instigators further back in cue. They seem to be scheming, when all of a sudden, an unidentified man in a white t-shirt and Kansas City Royals baseball hat coldcocks May from behind.
The fight escalates as the crowd disperses.
Lark would eventually return to the entranceway and fire off a few rounds, authorities maintain at the urging of May.
Said Wolfgram, "Without provocation, they brutally attacked Mr. May. He was in fight or flight mode."
May pleaded guilty to aiding an offender to avoid arrest for helping coordinate the get-away.
"You were making a purchase, perfectly normal day," Koch told May in handing down his sentence.
A year in jail for May was stayed, meaning if he stays out of trouble, he will not have to serve any time behind bars. "It should have gone off without a hitch. There should not be any threat to you or anybody else. It is clear from the video that there was a group that was intending on doing you harm. You were not the initial aggressor in that in any way. You were sucker punched from behind."
Lark, the admitted triggerman, is scheduled for sentencing himself coming up in July.