Suspect arrested in Ala. mall shooting; protests continue

HOOVER, Ala. — Authorities arrested a suspect in a Thanksgiving shooting that spread panic at Alabama’s largest shopping mall Thursday, but protesters said they would continue demonstrations over the police killing of another black man who was initially believed to be the shooter.

Erron Brown, 20, of Bessemer was captured in Georgia at a relative’s home south of Atlanta, authorities said. He was jailed awaiting a hearing to be sent back to Alabama.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Brown was charged in the shooting of Brian Wilson, 18, of Birmingham, who was wounded at the Riverchase Galleria in Hoover on Thanksgiving night.

Authorities didn’t announce charges in the shooting of a 12-year-old girl who was wounded.

Protesters said Brown’s arrest didn’t resolve what they referred to as the “murder” of Emantic “EJ” Bradford, 21, and they vowed continuing demonstrations over his death.

Police have said a Hoover police officer who was working security at the mall heard shots and re- sponded within seconds. The officer, who has yet to be publicly identified, saw Bradford with a gun and shot him, police said.

Authorities at first identified Bradford as the shooter who wounded two people. They later retracted that allegation and searched for the gunman.

Bradford’s relatives have said he had a permit to carry a gun legally, and their attorney Ben Crump has quoted witnesses as saying Bradford was trying to help when he was gunned down.

“He was a good guy with a gun,” Crump said.