SIOUX FALLS — A weekend shooting at the Empire Mall resulted in no injuries and one arrest, but police in Sioux Falls say investigators are currently working to identify additional suspects who could also face charges.
The case stems from 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, when law enforcement personnel were called to the Empire Mall for reports of shots fired and a potential active shooter situation. While no injuries were reported in connection with the shooting, authorities say two or three bullets were fired inside the mall.
According to Chief of Police Jon Thum, a group of juveniles were gathered outside Zumiez, just to the south of the mall’s central corridor, when 18-year-old Jaden Bingham fired a weapon. The gunshots resulted in multiple juveniles “scattering” from the area and much of the mall entering a shelter-in-place or lockdown status.
Bingham was arrested Saturday morning after a warrant was issued on two counts of aggravated assault. Lt. Aaron Nyberg said a search warrant was also granted for Bingham’s residence and vehicles located in the 1600 block of North Mable Avenue, and recovered three different firearms.
But the arrest of Bingham doesn’t conclude the case. Nyberg said investigators continue to conduct interviews and review surveillance in an attempt to identify another suspect who may have also fired a gun.
“We believe there were two people that had firearms. We’re still looking for the other person that had a firearm,” Nyberg said Monday. “[Bingham] is one of the individuals with a firearm, and he is charged with assault. As far as who fired what rounds that we were able to recover and what shell casings belonged to which firearms, that’ll take some more investigating.”
Nyberg did not indicate whether shell casings recovered by police were of the same caliber or were believed to have been fired from the same gun. He also said he wasn’t sure if any of the guns — either those involved or those recovered by the warrant — were stolen.
The shooting occurred when two groups of people “just happened to meet with each other” in the mall, according to Nyberg, who said there was an “ongoing dispute” between the groups.
Asked if the shooting could be gang-related, Nyberg said yes.
“Yeah, there could be a gang component to this,” he said. “It appeared to be a dispute over people who know each other, but maybe not know each other well, but people who are feuding — and that would be that potential gang element.”
Thum, however, looked to stray away from the use of the term “gang,” instead referring to those involved as affiliated youth.
“We have young adults from our community — and I won’t throw the term ‘gang’ around — it’s an affiliation of youth who really have decided that this is what they’re going to emulate,” he said. “This goes way back to what the mayor and I in particular have said quite a bit about the need for mentorship in our community.”
The chief said he’s fielded a lot of questions about the mall shooting, and that he believes that stronger mentorship for troubled youth across Sioux Falls could have an impact that prevents children from getting into trouble.
“At this time, when we talk about what we can do as a community, our core schools in particular are seeing a decrease in mentorship involvement,” he said. “I wish we had the same level of curiosity and interest as far as how we can be involved in young peoples’ lives and maybe stop some of this before it gets to this point.”
As of midday Monday, Bingham is the only person charged in relation to the mall shooting. He was set to appear in court Monday afternoon. If convicted of the two counts of aggravated assault, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and fines of up to $60,000.
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