Survivors of the Halloween 2024 shooting at Vancouver Mall took the stand this week, describing the moment gunfire tore through a food court packed with families celebrating the holiday. Travis Ward, 32, is accused of killing James Perez and injuring two bystanders in the attack, and testimony in his trial continued as witnesses recounted the chaos and its aftermath.
Daniel Martin testified that he was shot in the foot during the attack, according to KPTV. The station also reported that a second survivor, whose surname appears in its account as Brandon Layrer, was shot in the stomach, though other reporting on the case refers to him as Brandon Leyrer. Prosecutors allege Ward shot Perez in the mall's food court before the gunfire wounded both men, as reported by Yahoo News.
The shooting happened on Oct. 31, 2024, as families gathered inside the mall for Halloween festivities. Prosecutors allege Ward opened fire that night, killing Perez and injuring two bystanders, according to a separate Yahoo News report on opening statements in the case. Perez was struck multiple times and died from his injuries, while two other people nearby were wounded in the gunfire, the outlet reported.
Prosecutors Say Shooter Wore a Clown Mask
Prosecutors have told jurors that Ward followed Perez into the food court and shot him from behind while wearing a Joker-style clown mask. “He aimed that gun directly behind Mr. Perez in the back of his head and he fired,” a prosecutor said, according to the Yahoo News account of opening statements. Investigators later recovered clothing they say Ward wore on the night of the shooting at a Vancouver-area waste transfer station, the outlet reported.
Ward's girlfriend, identified by Yahoo News as Aniecia Jenkins, testified that she and Ward knew Perez and that Ward disliked him because she had previously had a sexual relationship with Perez. “I could say he didn't like him because of that,” she testified, per the same account. Police arrested Ward two days after the shooting at the apartment he shared with her, the outlet reported.
KPTV, which identified the same witness as Anissia Jenkin, reported that she testified Ward discouraged her from appearing in court. The station reported that she said Ward told her not to testify against him.
Defense Points to Missing Gun and Mask
Ward's defense has centered on disputing his identification as the shooter. “One of the principal issues in this case is going to be identification,” the defense argued, according to Yahoo News's report on opening statements, since the shooter's face was concealed by the mask. The defense has also noted that investigators did not recover the firearm or mask and that none of the eight shell casings found at the scene contained Ward's DNA, per the Yahoo News report on the trial's continuation.
Reports on the exact charges against Ward differ. One Yahoo News report describes him as charged with first-degree murder and two counts of assault, while KPTV reported he is charged with first-degree murder, assault and witness tampering.
Prosecutors have said the trial should last about a week, according to Yahoo News, and KPTV reported the trial would continue into the following week as witness testimony proceeded.
