It was a normal Monday afternoon when Tolavius Timmons headed to Boulevard Mall for furniture.
The mall is a popular shopping center near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road.
"I was actually here to pickup a 55-inch TV in a set-up for my new apartment here," Timmons told Action News.
On his way out of the mall, he was given a mysterious message.
"The gentleman who helped me pick up my television, he told me, he said when you go out at night here you need to be very cautious,” Timmons said. “Be aware of my surroundings.”
Ironically, just hours later, a shooting erupted in one the mall's parking garages.
"I just heard all the commotion with the fire department and all that," said nearby resident David Roots.
Police say the suspect opened fire in the parking garage before quickly heading out and running directly south. That suspect is still on the loose.
Police tell Action News the gunman shot at two people, but neither sustained injuries.
They say the suspect is a black male who was wearing all black. Police have responded to several incidents near the mall in the last month.
One neighbor says it’s a very poor neighborhood that she thinks is abandoned by the government.
"The government could do more for the people who are less fortunate," Katherine Neal tells Action News. “I mean there are more abandoned houses and apartments then there are homeless people."
One resident says the only reason he feels safe is because he prays before leaving the house.
"I just keep my eyes open, man, and I just give it to God. He protects me and my family."
If you have any useful information, you’re encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
