Eric Bratton charged in Independence Center mall shooting

Eric Bratton, pictured above, is charged with first-degree aggravated assault, second-degree aggravated assault and two counts of armed criminal action for the Saturday-afternoon shooting at the Independence Center shopping mall.

Court records say Bratton, 24, and the male shooting victims got into an altercation after Bratton made a comment about the female shooting victim’s butt. The male victim and Bratton got into a fight, which was broken up. Bratton then allegedly threatened to “shoot your bitch ass in the leg then shoot you in the head.” The male turned around and saw Bratton pull a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband.

Court records say the male victim was shot in the leg, and Bratton allegedly tried to shoot him in the head but “narrowly missed.”

According to court documents, Bratton told police that he got into a fight with a man at the mall and shot him with a .45-caliber handgun.

Bratton is being held on $500,000 bond.