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Mall of Louisiana has enhanced security since last week's mass shooting, spokesperson says
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BATON ROUGE — The Mall of Louisiana has enhanced security since last week's fatal shooting, a mall spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that the mall added more security officers and that, since the Thursday afternoon shooting that left 17-year-old Martha Odom dead and five more injured, there is an increased presence of Baton Rouge Police Department officers on-site.
"There is a lot that happens behind-the-scenes, but it is our company protocol not to publicly discuss our protocols as it could compromise its effectiveness," the spokesperson added in a statement.
Some changes in security, including armed guards, were observed on Saturday when WBRZ reported on the mall reopening.
East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards says some of those changes have already been put in place since Saturday.
"Seven or eight BRPD, sheriff's deputies, private security firms, and even a dog that, you know, can smell gunpowder, so with our law enforcement partners, we're talking, and it is my, we're going to beef up security here for, from here on out," Edwards said.
One resident says the changes bring reassurance.
"It makes me feel good because I think it's a place that anybody should be able to go, whether old people or young people, because there's a lot of teens there, and I think extra security is good to have."
Others say the changes are not enough.
"It's too late. It's too late. It's just, it's not safe. It's not safe for the kids. It's not safe for the parents. It's just not safe for anybody, you know?" a person said.
Markel Lee, 17, surrendered to police on Friday and now faces one count of first-degree murder for the killing of Odom, an Ascension Episcopal School student who was in the mall celebrating “Senior Skip Day”.
Lee was also charged with one count of illegal use of weapons and five counts of attempted first-degree murder for the other people who were injured during the shooting, including two of Odom's classmates and 43-year-old Donnie Guillory.
Following his court appearance, Lee was held without bond on the first-degree murder charge, $1.25 million for the five counts of attempted first-degree murder and $100,000 for illegal use of weapons.
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