Court records show previous aggravated robbery investigation leads to arrest of accused Park Plaza Mall shooter
Authorities arrested 18-year-old Abdelrahmanahmed Sallam Wednesday night in connection to the murder of 47-year-old Cynthia Gregory, who was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Park Plaza Mall.
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An affidavit obtained by KARK/FOX16 News shows that Sallam was charged in connection to an aggravated robbery incident earlier this month.
On Jan. 19, a man reported an electronic trade organized through Facebook Market Place led to him being shot at.
According to the victim, he was looking to trade his Apple Watch for a new iPhone. They agreed to meet at the Sharks located at 3323 Fairpark where the suspect allegedly traded a fake phone, took the watch and then began shooting at the victims while running away.
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The suspect was seen heading to the South Oaks apartments after firing the last of four to five rounds at the victims, an eyewitness said to the authorities.
The affidavit read, police then scanned the area and found three shell casings on the street. Another eyewitness of the Jan. 19 incident said he believed the suspected shooter to be a tenant of the apartment complex and believed the suspect's last name was Sallam.
Additional details on Gregory's murder were also obtained by KARK/FOX16 News in the affidavit.
According to detectives, a witness said a man was seen attempting to take Gregory's purse from her and after he was unsuccessful, shot her and then ran through the Chick-fil-A parking lot across from the mall.
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Video surveillance obtained by detectives showed the same incident and the suspect fleeing towards the Park Avenue Lofts at 308 S University, where Sallam leases an apartment, according to the affidavit.
On Jan. 28, a day after the deadly shooting of Cynthia Gregory, detectives said shell casings found at the scene of Gregory's murder match the casings found from the Jan. 16 incident at 3323 Fairpark. Robbery Detectives identified Sallam as the suspect for both incidents by surveillance videos. The affidavit stated that the victim and both eyewitnesses of the January 19 incident identified Sallam as the suspect in a photograph lineup as well.
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Sallam was arrested on Jan. 29. After a search of Sallam's apartment, detectives also found the clothes the suspect in video surveillance was seen wearing.
Sallam appeared in court on Thursday, pleaded not guilty and no bond was set. He is being charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery. His next court appearance is March 31.
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