‘You really pulling out the heater?’ East Germantown man charged in an unprovoked shooting at Oxford Valley Mall
Investigators said it was unclear why Shannon Lewis shot a man at the mall on Juneteenth.
A Philadelphia man, with a revolver tucked into his backpack, rode the bus to the Oxford Valley Mall on Juneteenth and shot a man, who he evidently believed he knew, at point-blank range, police said Friday.
Shannon Lewis, 30, then fled the chaos he caused, which shuttered the Langhorne shopping destination and sent customers and employees into a panic, ducking for cover amid store shelves, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.
Lewis, of East Germantown, was arrested early Friday and charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and firearms violations for carrying a gun without a license.
Bucks County District Attorney Jen Schorn said detectives identified and tracked down Lewis using a variety of databases, including surveillance footage from SEPTA buses Lewis took to and from the mall, and his cellphone data.
“This investigation highlights the critical role that both advanced technology and old-fashioned police work play in solving crimes,” Schorn said. “Detectives used every tool at their disposal to piece together the evidence in this case, and their meticulous work was key to identifying and apprehending a dangerous individual.”
Lewis remained in custody in lieu of 10% of $750,000 bail, and there was no indication he had hired an attorney to represent him.
Witnesses told police that a man, later identified as Lewis, approached the victim in the mall just after 5 p.m. near the Victoria’s Secret store, the affidavit said.
Lewis asked the man if he was from Trenton, and when the man declined to answer his question, Lewis pulled out a revolver and shot him in his left arm “without further provocation.”
One witness told police she overheard the victim ask Lewis, “‘You really pulling the heater out,’” shortly before the shot is fired.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment and has since recovered from his injuries, according to police.
Prosecutors said it was unclear why Lewis shot the man — the two had never met before.
After the shooting, Lewis fled the mall and ran toward the nearby Woodbourne Train Station, where SEPTA records show he boarded a train at 5:25 p.m., according to the affidavit.
Using those records, investigators were able to track down and identify Lewis. His cellphone records confirmed he was in the area of the mall at the time of the shooting, the affidavit said.
Court records show Lewis pleaded guilty in 2017 to carrying a gun in public in Philadelphia, and he was sentenced to three years probation.
He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Aug. 21.