GAITHERSBURG, Md. — A Montgomery County mall experienced its second murder in four months on its property Monday, however, city leaders say they are hopeful the site will see better times soon.
Around 11 a.m., police were called to Lakeforest Mall, in Gaithersburg, after they received a report that a 23-year-old man who worked at the mall had been stabbed near the food court entrance.
The man later died, according to Montgomery County Police. He was identified by police as Jose Alexander Maldonado, of Gaithersburg, and worked as a T-Mobile employee at the mall.
MCPD Spokesperson Lauren Ivey said the incident appeared to be targeted. The suspect has not been caught.
In November, another man was shot to death in Lakeforest Mall’s parking lot, near the food court entrance, too.
Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman said police have enhanced enforcement around the area.
“We have check-on patrols, both uniformed and plainclothes police, at Lakeforest regularly,” he said.
Despite the recent murders on mall property, crime data provided by Montgomery County shows most of the illegal activity at the mall involves shoplifting, not violent crime.
Ashman said he personally does not feel unsafe at the mall either. However, he said the mall is usually on his mind for another reason.
“We've seen it for probably 15 years where it’s a mall in decline,” he said. “And, it's not unique. It's like many malls in America, but it is happening.”
Many storefronts inside the mall are vacant. Only one of the four anchor locations inside the mall are currently occupied.
In August, the Gaithersburg City Council voted to adopt a new Lakeforest Mall Master Plan to serve as a framework for how the site should look when it is redeveloped.
Among other things, the plan calls for a cap of 1,600 residential units at the site, a travel grid pattern that includes short, walkable blocks, and the discouragement of dedicated surface parking lots for standalone retail.
“It’s going to be a mix of uses between residential, commercial, perhaps biotech and lab,” Ashman said. “And, definitely some distinctive public spaces and amenities for people to enjoy.”
However, if and when Lakeforest Mall receives the wrecking ball will depend on what the mall’s owners decide to do.
According to Ashman, the mall has five separate owners. One company owns each anchor of the mall, while another firm owns the mall’s center.
He said what they decide to do next will play a big role in what happens there.
“So, essentially, either all of the planets need to come together in a way where everybody agrees on something or somebody needs to buy everybody out,” he said.
However, Ashman said he remains optimistic that better times are ahead for the Lakeforest Mall site.
“I hope they're successful,” he said. “But, if they're not, then we need the next [owner] to come in and keep trying. Eventually, we're going to get this done and it's going to be amazing.”