Hoover police arrest man linked to Riverchase Galleria shooting

Hoover police arrested Reginald Ja’Ques Davidson late Friday night after a 20-year-old man was shot in the arm during a fight at the Riverchase Galleria.

Officers responded to reports of shots fired in the mall’s food court just before noon on Friday. The incident forced parts of the shopping center near the food court to close for about two hours. The Galleria resumed normal operations later in the day after the area was secured.

Police stated that the altercation stemmed from a social media dispute among the people involved. A witness captured video of the fight and the shooting. The injured man was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was released after being examined.

Davidson left the scene with a gun that police later determined was stolen. Hoover officers took him into custody on Avenue K in the Ensley neighborhood of Birmingham around midnight on Friday. He is currently held in the Hoover City Jail and will be transferred to the Jefferson County Jail on Saturday.

Davidson faces charges of first-degree assault and second-degree theft of property. Hoover Police said the investigation remains open and that additional charges are likely. The department has asked anyone with information to call 205-739-7440 or contact Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777 for a potential cash reward.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Hoover Police noted that none of the individuals involved appeared to have ties to the city. The department described the incident as a minor dispute settled with violence. Officials said they are deploying every available resource to find those responsible and hold them accountable. They expressed confidence that suspects would be identified and apprehended quickly.

This marks the first non-fatal shooting in the City of Hoover this year. It is also the first major incident at the Riverchase Galleria in more than five years. The city stated it is committed to ensuring the area remains a safe place for shoppers and has positioned officers to facilitate a safe experience.

Over the past eight years, four shootings have occurred at the Riverchase Galleria, three of which were fatal. In 2018, a physical altercation near the Footaction and JCPenney stores left one person dead and two others injured. In 2019, Zachariah Taylor Music was shot and killed at a parking deck. In 2020, Royta Giles was shot and killed while standing with his mother.

A store manager located just outside the food court told reporters that the mall was on lockdown for just over an hour following the shooting. He said officers swept up and down the mall corridors during the search. Hoover Police confirmed there is no active threat at this time.