Petition to add more security cameras throughout the University Park Mall

MISHAWAKA, Ind - Some employees at university park mall are pushing for added security following last Saturday's shooting.

A petition with about 230 signatures is calling for security cameras to be installed throughout the mall.

The organizer of the petition says many store employees feel there isn't enough being done to keep everyone safe.

A fight broke out at the University Park Mall last Saturday, reportedly starting in a sneaker store, and ended with a teenager shot.

Former assistant manager at GameStop Shane Oliver Black claims store managers, throughout the years, have begged for more security.

“Why don't we have cameras, why aren't there cameras, why wasn't there cameras filming,” said Black.

Black claims that at a management meeting last September, mall staff introduced Koomi, a firearm and explosive detecting k-9, and promised store managers they were looking into surveillance video.

“I feel like they keep making promises they aren't keeping and they're more worried about the bottom line than the actual human lives they are putting at risk,” said Black

Black says some stores have cameras, but there’s a lack of surveillance in the shared spaces of University Park Mall, which is owned by Simon Property Group.

Black claims the mall conducted a survey and found that if enough stores had cameras, they weren't legally required to install them

“They just keep dragging their feet on this, looking for legal loopholes, cost saving loopholes,” said Black

Mishawaka police tell abc57 that the department keeps two cars covering the mall area per shift every day, and a backup car on the northside.

Mishawaka police have not increased the number of patrol cars since last weekend's shooting and said despite being historically busy for call of incidents like shoplifting and fights generally it does not consider the mall a security problem.

Black feels that cameras will help police catch suspects when problems do come up. The University Park mall claims it will add more security, but when ABC57 reached out for more details, they never responded.