Mother Claims Self-Defense in Haywood Mall Shooting Incident

The mother of two teens involved in a shooting at Haywood Mall is claiming her son acted in self-defense after his older brother was shot and was in the crossfire.

Kamari Walker, 17, is being charged as an adult for assault and battery, high and aggravated. He faces several other charges, undisclosed by the Greenville Police Department because of his age.

Authorities confirmed a verbal dispute turned violent on Saturday when two groups of people drew guns and shot at each other. Walker is accused of discharging a firearm in the altercation.

An officer who was stationed at the mall reported hearing a series of gunshots around 1:11 p.m. and located two people with gunshot wounds.

Walker's mother, Amisha Griffin, confirmed Kamari's older brother Kalief, 18, was one of the victims, shot in the shoulder and neck. The other, a female bystander, was shot in the foot.

Investigators are still working to identify the others involved.

Griffin and Kamari's older brother are claiming self-defense. She said her sons and their father were at the mall together, and the brothers split up from their dad to look for his birthday present.

Neither parent was around when the fight, turned gunfire, ensued.

'They were tussling, then he pulled out a gun and shot Kalief. Kamari shot back. He shot back just one time. So no, it's not right for him to have no gun or whatever, but it was just self-defense,' Griffin said.

Griffin said she got the call her older son was shot and rushed to the mall.

'An officer called my name. He was like, 'You're mom?' I said, 'I'm mom.' He said, 'I've got Kamari in the back; I did find a weapon on him. Kalief was rushed to the hospital,'

Griffin said she does not know how her younger son got his hands on the firearm he confessed to using during a family court hearing on Monday.

She was upset, calling it unfair that she was unable to see her child.

'We do not allow guns. We do not play that. I don't know how he got it. I don't know what happened. But I am fighting for both of my sons. Both of them told me it was self-defense. And they're taking the fault for it,' Griffin said. 'These are my two only boys, my everything. Throwing up, crying, can't eat. Because I love my boys. They're good boys. I've got one in recovery, another behind bars.'

Former juvenile prosecutor Brandi Hinton said Walker could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted for the lone, publicized charge.

'From a juvenile standpoint. They're very impressionable, and they don't have the ability to think long term about long-term consequences. They're very in the moment. They're very peer-pressured. Check behind your child. They may not like it, but you are potentially saving them from being a victim or an offender,' Hinton said.

The mall reopened on Sunday for normal operations with additional mall security and patrol officers present.

There is visible damage to the glass structures on the second floor. Witnesses told they remember the glass shattering and raining onto people who were running for cover below.

The city of Greenville is receiving any next steps for safety protocols as part of their after-action process. Any steps ahead will be determined by law enforcement.

Anyone with information on the altercation is encouraged to reach out to authorities immediately.