Garden City is usually pretty quiet. Most people go to Roosevelt Field for a new pair of Nikes or a quick bite at the food court, not to find themselves in the middle of a police lockdown. But the term Roosevelt Field mall shooter has become a permanent fixture in Long Island's digital memory, mostly because of two very different, very terrifying days.
It’s messy. Memory is a weird thing, especially when social media gets involved.
If you search for it now, you’re likely looking for details on two specific incidents: the 2013 shooting of an innocent employee and the 2015 luxury watch heist that sent thousands of shoppers running for their lives. People mix them up. They blend the details. Honestly, it’s easy to see why, considering both involved gunfire in one of the busiest shopping hubs in the United States.
The 2013 Tragedy: Oliverio Galvi-Hincapie and the Targeted Attack
Let's look at the facts. In September 2013, the peace of a Wednesday morning was shattered. This wasn't a "mass shooter" event in the way we often think of them today, but it was no less deadly. A man named Sang Ho Kim, a disgruntled vendor, walked into a lighting company office located just across from the mall.
He wasn't looking for random targets. He had a specific grudge.
Kim opened fire, killing 25-year-old Oliverio Galvi-Hincapie and seriously wounding another person. The ripple effect was immediate. Because the office was so close to the shopping center, the Roosevelt Field mall shooter narrative took hold instantly. The mall went into a total "shelter in place" mode. Hundreds of shoppers were trapped inside stores, huddled in back rooms, texting loved ones because they didn't know if the gunman was in the hallway or miles away.
He wasn't in the mall. He had fled.
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Police eventually found Kim's body in the Hudson River days later. He had taken his own life. The tragedy left a mark on the community, not just because of the loss of life, but because it exposed how quickly a nearby incident can paralyze a massive public space. It wasn't a "mall shooting" by definition, but for the people trapped in Macy's that day, the distinction didn't matter. The fear was real.
The 2015 Rolex Heist: Chaos at Tourneau
Fast forward to December 2015. This is the one most people remember when they talk about the Roosevelt Field mall shooter. It was two days before Christmas. The mall was packed.
It started at the Tourneau store.
A man named Oliver S. Lee, who was 21 at the time, walked into the high-end watch shop. He wasn't there to browse. He attempted to rob the place, and during a struggle with a security guard—who happened to be a retired NYPD sergeant—a gun went off. One shot. That’s all it took to cause a stampede.
The sound of that single gunshot echoed through the concourse. In a crowded mall during the holidays, a single "pop" sounds like a war zone. People didn't wait to find out what happened. They ran. They knocked over kiosks. They hid in refrigerators in the food court.
The Human Cost of a False Alarm
While the only person physically shot was a mall employee hit in the shoulder (who thankfully survived), the psychological damage was massive. This is where the term Roosevelt Field mall shooter gets complicated. Lee wasn't a mass shooter; he was a botched robber. But in the age of instant Twitter (now X) updates, the narrative outpaced the facts.
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People were tweeting about "multiple gunmen" and "rifles." None of it was true.
It took hours for the Nassau County Police Department to clear the building. By the time the dust settled, Lee was in custody, and the "shooter" was revealed to be a lone individual with a handgun and a terrible plan.
Why We Keep Talking About These Incidents
Why does this keep coming up in searches years later? It's simple: Roosevelt Field is a landmark. It's the tenth-largest mall in the country. When something happens there, it vibrates through the entire New York metropolitan area.
There is also a significant amount of misinformation. If you spend enough time on local forums, you'll find people swearing there was a shooting in 2017 or 2021. Usually, these are "scares"—loud noises, falling signboards, or shoplifting incidents where someone shouted "gun" and triggered a panic. We live in a world where the fear of a shooter is almost as disruptive as an actual one.
Distinguishing Fact from Suburban Legend
- The "Mass Shooting" Myth: There has never been a "mass shooting" (defined as 4 or more victims) inside Roosevelt Field Mall.
- The Sang Ho Kim Incident: This happened in a nearby office building (600 Old Country Road), not in the mall aisles.
- The Tourneau Incident: This was an attempted robbery, not an active shooter seeking casualties.
It's important to be precise. Calling someone a Roosevelt Field mall shooter carries a heavy weight. In the case of Oliver Lee, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He wasn't a terrorist; he was a criminal whose actions sparked a regional panic.
Staying Safe: Actionable Steps for Mall Shoppers
You can't control what happens in a public space, but you can control your response. If you're ever in a situation where people start running or you hear a suspicious noise in a place like Roosevelt Field, experts suggest a few specific moves.
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First, forget your shopping bags. It sounds obvious, but security footage often shows people hesitating to drop their purchases. Seconds matter.
Second, know the exits that aren't the main doors. Every store has a back-of-house exit for deliveries and employees. If you’re in a dressing room or near the back of a shop, don’t run back out into the mall concourse to find the "main" exit. Go through the stockroom.
Third, verify information before sharing. During the 2015 incident, the panic was fueled by people posting unverified "updates" on social media. If you aren't seeing it with your own eyes, don't post it as fact. It slows down police response and terrifies families unnecessarily.
The Reality of Retail Security Today
Since these incidents, Roosevelt Field has significantly ramped up its security presence. You’ll notice more Nassau County Police cars stationed near the entrances. There are more cameras. There is more "invisible" security—plainclothes officers blending in with the crowds.
The management at Simon Property Group (who owns the mall) doesn't talk much about their specific security protocols for obvious reasons, but the shift since 2015 is palpable. They’ve integrated better communication systems with local law enforcement to ensure that if a "pop" is just a balloon, the entire mall doesn't have to go into a traumatic lockdown for six hours.
The history of the Roosevelt Field mall shooter is really a history of two isolated crimes and a lot of collective anxiety. Understanding the difference between a targeted office dispute, a botched robbery, and an active shooter isn't just about being pedantic—it's about managing our own understanding of public safety.
To stay informed on local safety, monitor the Nassau County Police Department’s official news feeds rather than relying on trending hashtags. If you are interested in the legal outcomes of these cases, the New York State Unified Court System provides public records on the sentencing of individuals involved in the 2013 and 2015 incidents. For those who were present during these events and still struggle with the memory, local trauma resources in Garden City and surrounding Long Island areas offer specialized support for those affected by public violence.