ATLANTA — A mall that has, for decades, attracted shoppers in droves to Atlanta's Buckhead community is now seeing itself associated with something more concerning - and shoppers are taking notice.
Standing outside Lenox Square Mall on Sunday, 11Alive spoke to locals who were aware of the previous shootings. They knew that the most recent round of violence was one of many in just months.
"Lenox has changed a lot," said one shopper. "I've lived here all my life. So, I've seen it in better times."
Sunday's shooting, according to police, was over a parking space and marks the fourth since December. It's also the first one in that timeframe that's proven deadly with the victim dying of two gunshot wounds to the head.
But while the end-result of gunfire and the location make the incidents seem similar, a look back shows each one was set in motion by a different set of events.
Dec. 21: Macy's employee shot
The first happened on Dec. 21 in a parking garage. There, a Macy's employee was shot while being robbed. Police have made two arrests in connection with the crime, 17-year-old Antonio Brown and 24-year-old Devonte Dean.
Their arrests came weeks after the shooting victim managed to flag down a security guard to explain that she had just been robbed by two men as she was walking back to her car.
She said the pair tried to take her belongings and her keys but shot her and ran away when she refused.
Jan. 18: Officer-involved shooting
Then, on Jan. 18, an officer shot a man who appeared to be robbing another at gunpoint in a different parking garage. It later turned out that the man who was shot had actually been robbed by the man he was seen holding at gunpoint.
The arriving police sergeant, only seeing two men pointing a gun at another, ended up opening fire when one of them person refused to lay down his gun.
A Kentucky-based rapper, 2KBABY, later came forward saying that the person the officer shot was his friend. He said the friend, identified as Christian Edlin, was trying to get the rapper's chain necklace back from the alleged thief when the officer walked up and saw that they were holding the suspect at gunpoint.
Feb. 10: Botched drug deal
And, in February, a man was shot during what police described as a botched drug deal in the parking lot outside of Bloomingdales.
According to Police Sgt. John Chafee, there was a pre-arranged meeting between the two men outside the entrance to the Bloomingdale's store at Lenox Square.
He said that there was apparently some sort of transaction taking place between the two. At some point during the transaction, Chafee said, the suspect shot the victim once in the abdomen and fled the scene.
March 8: Parking space dispute
That brings us to the most recent shooting which happened outside the Cheesecake Factory and was over a parking pace. Police are still searching for three people were riding with the one suspect they have in custody.
At this point, police haven't identified the suspect or the victim and they aren't sure if the dispute continued when both parties involved went into the mall. What they know is that it continued when they returned outside and eventually led to the shooting which forced many to take shelter inside the mall.
Police respond to violence
Zone 2 Commander Major Andrew Senzer said the fight is ongoing to keep things like this from happening at the mall.
"These are brazen acts that are being committed, you know, within the presence of law enforcement officers," Senzer said. "And, you know, we're going to continue to work with the extra job coordinator here, with mall security to ensure we are providing the presence where we can take back this space."
Senzer said the Atlanta Police Department has provided an "incredible amount of enhanced visibility" by having officers at the mall throughout the week. The mall also has its own mini-precinct office inside.
Meanwhile, there is already a police precinct at the mall.
MORE HEADLINES