Rockford YWCA leader escapes Atlanta mall shooting

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – A Rockford area woman is dealing with a mix of emotions a day after coming face-to-face with a man who police say opened fire at a shopping center from downtown Atlanta.

Kris Machajewski says she and other members of the YWCA of Rockford were in the food court at the Peachtree Center mall Tuesday afternoon when a gunman entered. The other members of her group took off, but Machajewski says she stayed there, even though the shooter was yelling at her to run away.

Four people, including the suspect, were injured. Machajewski recalled that the suspect, Jeremy Malone, 34, moved to another area where an off-duty police officer shot him. She says you never know how you will react in similar situations.

“I think, you know, you can take any active shooter training you want to take, I’ve certainly done a lot of it and I’ve worked with law enforcement for several years, and I have a military training, and I think you don’t know how you’re going to act in one of those situations until you’re in that situation,” Machajewski said.

According to Atlanta News First, all those shot and injured were transported to local hospitals and are expected to survive. Malone is in custody.

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