Nearly two weeks after shots rang out at Haywood Mall in Greenville, frequent visitors and vendors inside have noticed quiet changes to public safety protocols, but no direct statement from mall leadership.Saturday, June 26, will mark two weeks since a shooting sent shoppers, employees and business owners into a panic, locking down Haywood Mall for hours.Two brothers were arrested and charged: 17-year-old Kamari Walker and 18-year-old Kalief Walker. Kalief was one of two people who were shot in the crossfire.A female bystander was also shot.Since then, employees and mall vendors said they have not heard any official statements from mall leadership, aside from these two official alerts sent by Simon Corporate through a workplace app: June 13, 2026, 3:31 p.m.: “Shopping Center Closed – Location for mall access. The shopping center will remain closed today June 13th.”June 14, 2026, 7:51 a.m.: “Mall Reopening. Haywood Mall will be reopening at today at regular time.””The community here deserve answers. Public safety is first and foremost; the public’s safety should be everyone’s concern,” community activist Traci Fant said.Media requests from WYFF News 4 to Simon and the Upstate Mall Management Office have been met with radio silence. When we went in person Wednesday to speak with mall management, we were told they were in a meeting and unavailable to speak. The police substation, located on the mall side near Dillard’s, was open for entry but not manned. A number was posted on the door for immediate assistance: 864-438-0899.WYFF News 4 has requested sit-downs or a written statement from Chief Howie Thompson of the Greenville Police Department to address concerns for safety following the shooting.Beth Brotherton, a spokesperson for the city of Greenville, provided the following statement Wednesday:”Court rulings provide a clear distinction between public and private property. The City is responsible for public property. Malls, shopping centers and other private facilities are responsible for their own security.”GPD collaborates with private property owners, including Haywood Mall, to provide off-duty officers and advise on emergency plans. “The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville City Fire Department are proud of their response to this critical incident. There was immediate communication between an off-duty officer working security and the responding teams, the mall was safely evacuated, a secure pickup location was established and communicated, two arrests have been made, and contact information for the detective was publicized so anyone with relevant information could provide assistance.”The investigation remains active so I’m resharing the email address for tips: Detective Bryant Ebryant@greenvillesc.gov.” Inside, changes are happening quietly. K-9 units and mall security can be spotted, and stores are hiring contracted officers to line their storefronts.A security guard said groups of four or more people are no longer allowed to walk together. Fant asked the mall to consider countermeasures to ensure an adequate response is in place to prevent incidents or people from getting hurt in the future. Fant named suggestions like restrictions on bags, curfews, security personnel and parent or guardian supervision.”We just need to be able to establish that when we go shopping, we feel secure and we are safe,” Fant said. “What is proper protocol, and what are they willing to commit to doing?” Sunni Inam, who has owned Diamond Couture for nearly a decade, said doing business there is no longer worth trading the safety of his staff or his family. He is hopeful for permanent safety protocols but says he is ready to move on.”I’ve been robbed four times, and nothing has ever happened. I’ve mentioned so many times about security, and it’s almost like it gets brushed under the rug. As much expense we pay to be in a facility, I think their promise at a minimum is safety. And I don’t think that’s being met. And when that’s not met, you have customers that are scared. You have employees that are scared. I don’t feel comfortable having my own child in my own business,” Inam said.Inam said business is down between 50% and 60%, according to other vendors inside the mall, since the incident.”Rent is not down 50% to 60%,” Inam said.Most vendors, including Inam, have security cameras installed within their businesses. The mall has a security camera sign up on each door, and several cameras can be spotted in the main walkway. There are two that can be spotted near the food court and another directly opposite down the hall, near J.C. Penney.None are visible from the plaza between Belk and Macy’s, where police say the incident took place. The investigation is ongoing. Greenville police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Bryant immediately at Ebryant@greenvillesc.gov.Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.
Nearly two weeks after shots rang out at Haywood Mall in Greenville, frequent visitors and vendors inside have noticed quiet changes to public safety protocols, but no direct statement from mall leadership.
Saturday, June 26, will mark two weeks since a shooting sent shoppers, employees and business owners into a panic, locking down Haywood Mall for hours.
Two brothers were arrested and charged: 17-year-old Kamari Walker and 18-year-old Kalief Walker. Kalief was one of two people who were shot in the crossfire.
A female bystander was also shot.
Since then, employees and mall vendors said they have not heard any official statements from mall leadership, aside from these two official alerts sent by Simon Corporate through a workplace app:
June 13, 2026, 3:31 p.m.: “Shopping Center Closed – Location for mall access. The shopping center will remain closed today June 13th.”June 14, 2026, 7:51 a.m.: “Mall Reopening. Haywood Mall will be reopening at today at regular time.”
“The community here deserve answers. Public safety is first and foremost; the public’s safety should be everyone’s concern,” community activist Traci Fant said.
Media requests from WYFF News 4 to Simon and the Upstate Mall Management Office have been met with radio silence. When we went in person Wednesday to speak with mall management, we were told they were in a meeting and unavailable to speak.
The police substation, located on the mall side near Dillard’s, was open for entry but not manned. A number was posted on the door for immediate assistance: 864-438-0899.
WYFF News 4 has requested sit-downs or a written statement from Chief Howie Thompson of the Greenville Police Department to address concerns for safety following the shooting.
Beth Brotherton, a spokesperson for the city of Greenville, provided the following statement Wednesday:
“Court rulings provide a clear distinction between public and private property. The City is responsible for public property. Malls, shopping centers and other private facilities are responsible for their own security.
“GPD collaborates with private property owners, including Haywood Mall, to provide off-duty officers and advise on emergency plans.
“The Greenville Police Department and the Greenville City Fire Department are proud of their response to this critical incident. There was immediate communication between an off-duty officer working security and the responding teams, the mall was safely evacuated, a secure pickup location was established and communicated, two arrests have been made, and contact information for the detective was publicized so anyone with relevant information could provide assistance.
“The investigation remains active so I’m resharing the email address for tips: Detective Bryant Ebryant@greenvillesc.gov.”
Inside, changes are happening quietly. K-9 units and mall security can be spotted, and stores are hiring contracted officers to line their storefronts.
A security guard said groups of four or more people are no longer allowed to walk together.
Fant asked the mall to consider countermeasures to ensure an adequate response is in place to prevent incidents or people from getting hurt in the future. Fant named suggestions like restrictions on bags, curfews, security personnel and parent or guardian supervision.
“We just need to be able to establish that when we go shopping, we feel secure and we are safe,” Fant said. “What is proper protocol, and what are they willing to commit to doing?”
Sunni Inam, who has owned Diamond Couture for nearly a decade, said doing business there is no longer worth trading the safety of his staff or his family. He is hopeful for permanent safety protocols but says he is ready to move on.
“I’ve been robbed four times, and nothing has ever happened. I’ve mentioned so many times about security, and it’s almost like it gets brushed under the rug. As much expense we pay to be in a facility, I think their promise at a minimum is safety. And I don’t think that’s being met. And when that’s not met, you have customers that are scared. You have employees that are scared. I don’t feel comfortable having my own child in my own business,” Inam said.
Inam said business is down between 50% and 60%, according to other vendors inside the mall, since the incident.
“Rent is not down 50% to 60%,” Inam said.
Most vendors, including Inam, have security cameras installed within their businesses. The mall has a security camera sign up on each door, and several cameras can be spotted in the main walkway. There are two that can be spotted near the food court and another directly opposite down the hall, near J.C. Penney.
None are visible from the plaza between Belk and Macy’s, where police say the incident took place.
The investigation is ongoing. Greenville police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Bryant immediately at Ebryant@greenvillesc.gov.
Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.