Oak Park Mall shooting started with a scuffle. Records detail what led to gunfire
A 31-year-old man facing charges in the Oak Park Mall shooting was seen in a scuffle with two males before shots were fired that night in October, according to court records released this week.
Melgene C. Martin, of Kansas City, Kan., was charged earlier this month with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm at a structure and two counts of aggravated endangering a child in connection to the shooting.
It happened around 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 26 outside the food court entrance of the mall in Overland Park.
Court records said Overland Park police were unable to locate the suspected gunman or any victims at the time but found three shell casings and bullet holes inside the food court. Police also found in the parking lot a paycheck stub and a cellphone belonging to Martin.
Surveillance video obtained by police showed Martin was at the mall with two small children. In the video, two males are seen following Martin and the children out of the food court toward a Dodge Ram truck. The pair approached and appear to speak with Martin.
Soon after, court records said the pair made contact with Martin and a struggle ensued while Martin was holding the children in his arms.
Two witnesses told police it appeared the pair was trying to take something from Martin.
After a short scuffle, the two males started running toward the doors to the food court. Police believe one of the males dropped a firearm and picked it back up while running away.
Court records said Martin is seen in the video putting the children into the truck, retrieving a gun and firing multiple shots toward the two males. Martin then gets in the truck and leaves.
No one was reported to be hit by the gunfire, though police noted it appeared one of the males was cut by broken glass as he was crawling away during the shooting. Police found blood in a bathroom west of the food court.
Video showed the pair remaining inside the mall for a few minutes before exiting through Macy’s and leaving in a car.
Court records indicate at least one of them was contacted later by authorities but declined to answer questions about the incident without an attorney present.
Martin remains in the Johnson County Detention Center with bond set at $500,000.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 2.
This story was originally published November 30, 2018 at 6:23 PM.