Little Rock residents react to the arrest of teen accused of deadly shooting at Park Plaza Mall
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Before Abdelrahmanahmed Sallam allegedly killed Cynthia Gregory, police say he used the same gun to scare a teen he met online through Facebook Marketplace.
The affidavit from Little Rock Police said an exchange for an iPhone 15 at a Sharks on Fair Park Boulevard went wrong when the teen saw he'd been scammed with a fake.
As he tried to reverse the deal, the person, later identified by witnesses as Sallam, ran off firing four to five rounds behind him. Police say he also deleted the associated account which made all online messages unreadable.
Court records show previous aggravated robbery investigation leads to arrest of accused Park Plaza Mall shooter
Ardane Torres lives near Park Plaza where police state Sallam's next crime was 8 days later.
'It's scary because we can't just trust anyone that you will just meet,' Torres said.
Halfway between the Jan. 19 armed robbery and the Jan. 27 murder, police say on Jan. 24 Sallam leased a new apartment at the Park Avenue Lofts.
According to the affidavit, surveillance video caught the suspect walking from the loft parking lot, running to Gregory, trying to steal her purse, shooting her, and retreating across the street to hop over the Chick-fil-A parking lot fence. Cameras also caught him returning to the Park Avenue Lofts parking deck.
Friends remember Park Plaza shooting victim Cynthia Gregory
Kristina Ballard was walking nearby by herself to run errands on Thursday. She said she was on edge before learning an arrest was made.
'It kind of gives you a scare. Is it safe? I mean can I go outside? Do I have to carry a weapon? Do I have to be on alert?' Ballard asked.
Police matched shell casings from the robbery to the murder, and arrested Sallam for armed robbery. When they searched Sallam's apartment, they also found the same clothes seen worn during the murder.
'I've been through rough times, and I understand you get desperate…on the other hand, dude, you've been in the world long enough, you don't treat people, that's not the way to go about things,' Ballard said.
Little Rock police arrest suspect in deadly Park Plaza Mall shooting
After Little Rock Police announced the arrest, Park Plaza Mall sent a statement. In part, the last paragraph reads:
'We share the frustration and sadness that such an event could happen here – whether at Park Plaza or anywhere in our neighborhood. This is our shared community, and we are committed to doing our best to keep it safe and thriving. We believe in the future of Little Rock and the vibrancy of Park Plaza as part of that future.'
Park Plaza Mall
Friday at 9 am, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Junior and Police Chief Heath Helton will hold a public safety update inside Little Rock Police Headquarters.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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