A 17-year-old male suspect faces attempted murder charges after opening fire inside Westfield Valley Fair Mall in San Jose on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, striking three people in what authorities describe as a gang-related shooting. The incident, which unfolded on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, sent hundreds of terrified shoppers scrambling for safety and forced the evacuation of the region’s largest indoor shopping center.
The shooting occurred on the mall’s second floor outside Macy’s around 5:40 p.m., during the peak Black Friday shopping rush. According to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, the suspect fired six shots at a 28-year-old man he perceived as a rival gang member, striking him in the chest. Two bystander women, an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old girl who were simply shopping at the mall, were also hit by gunfire during the attack.
All three victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals for treatment. The targeted victim, wearing what authorities identified as rival gang colors, survived despite being shot through the chest. The two young women caught in the crossfire had no connection to the intended target or the gang dispute that sparked the violence.
San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph described how the situation escalated from a chance encounter into deadly violence. The suspect was walking through the crowded shopping center when he spotted someone he believed belonged to a rival gang. That confrontation quickly turned violent as the teenager pulled a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband and opened fire in the midst of holiday shoppers.
The gunfire triggered immediate chaos inside the sprawling 2.2 million-square-foot retail complex. Shoppers who had arrived seeking Black Friday deals instead found themselves running for exits or sheltering inside stores as the sound of gunshots echoed through the mall. Many ducked behind clothing racks, hid in storage rooms, or locked themselves in the nearest available store as police rushed to the scene.
Mall security immediately initiated lockdown procedures while officers swept through the facility searching for the shooter. Store employees closed gates and secured doors, keeping customers safe inside until police could confirm the building was secure. The evacuation process took several hours as officers methodically cleared each store and escorted frightened shoppers to safety.
Authorities arrested the teenage suspect on Sunday night, Nov. 30, at a San Jose residence. The arrest came after an intensive investigation involving surveillance footage and witness interviews. Police also arrested 21-year-old Allana Nevaeh Murillo, who was seen pushing a baby stroller at the mall and allegedly helped the gunman escape the scene. Prosecutors indicated she has a familial relationship with the suspect.
Two additional men, Christian Joel Duran, 20, and Evan John Moniz, 33, were subsequently charged as accessories after the fact for allegedly harboring the suspect following the shooting. All three adults face charges related to helping the teenager evade capture during the two-day manhunt.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, District Attorney Rosen announced charges against the suspect and revealed his office would petition to transfer the case to adult court. The teenager, identified in court documents as Cayleb D., faces charges of attempted murder, personal use of a firearm, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury.
“To reflect the seriousness and dangerousness of this shooter’s conduct, adult court is where this case should be handled,” Rosen said at a news conference. “Three to five years in a juvenile facility does not reflect the seriousness, the violence, and the dangerousness of this shooter’s conduct. We are inches from murder and a few feet away from a mass murder.”
If the case remains in juvenile court, the suspect could face three to five years in a secure juvenile facility. However, if tried as an adult, he would face a minimum sentence of 15 years before becoming eligible for parole. The decision on whether to move the case to adult court rests with a juvenile court judge and may take several weeks.
The suspect’s criminal history added another dimension to the case. Police Chief Joseph revealed the teenager was arrested in February 2025 for carrying and concealing a loaded firearm. At the time of the Valley Fair shooting, he remained on probation from that earlier gun offense.
The suspect made his first court appearance on Thursday, Dec. 4, with his next scheduled hearing set for Dec. 12 at the Santa Clara County Juvenile Court. Meanwhile, Murillo, Duran, and Moniz appeared in court to face accessory charges and were allowed bail despite prosecutors arguing that the gravity of the shooting and pending charges against some defendants warranted pretrial detention.
The mall reopened Saturday at noon, approximately 18 hours after the shooting, though many shoppers remained shaken by the violence. Mall management arranged for customers who left belongings behind during the evacuation to retrieve them at a collection site on the third floor.
The incident highlighted ongoing concerns about youth violence and gang activity in the community. Police emphasized that while the shooting was targeted rather than random, it endangered countless innocent shoppers who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time during what should have been a festive shopping experience.
