On Friday, 10/1/82, at about 9:16 p.m., the Rockaway Township Police Department received a report of a shooting at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall.

Responding units found one victim, Christopher Harris Thomas, a 16 year-old high school athlete lying mortally wounded just inside the doors of the mall near the inner theaters.

According to witnesses, the victim and his 14 year-old female companion had just been dropped off at this location. They walked toward the entrance when they were approached by the suspect. The suspect pushed the female aside, pointed the gun at the victim's chest and fired once. No words were exchanged between suspect and victim. The victim stumbled forward through the doors of the Mall and fell to the floor. The victim was transported to Dover General Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:26 p.m.

The suspect was described as a white male, 20-23 years of age, about 5'9" tall with long, brown hair.