In Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 29, 1972, a young White male, 23 years old, Melvin D. Harrison Jr., was fatally shot. According to one source, the male victim was driving past the main entrance of North Hills Mall, heading toward the Ivey's department store, when he was struck by gunfire and killed on arrival. He was identified as a 23-year-old White male from Raleigh, North Carolina.
This killing occurred during a chilling sniper attack at the North Hills Mall parking lot on Memorial
Day, May 29, 1972. In that incident, the sniper opened fire on numerous unsuspecting shoppers in broad daylight. Multiple victims were shot, including Melvin D. Harrison Jr., a 23-year-old White male, who died at the scene.
The sniper attack was executed with a. 22-caliber rifle. The assailant, later identified as Harvey Glenn McLeod, a 22- or 23-year-old Black male high-school janitor from Raleigh, purchased the rifle that very morning. He positioned himself between parked cars about fifty feet from the mall entrance and unleashed a barrage of shots—firing in bursts, reloading twice, and continuing for roughly two to five minutes.
The victims of his rampage included individuals of varying ages and both genders. Among those killed were three people at the scene—Melvin D. Harrison Jr., a 23-year-old White male, Jacquelyn D. “Jackie” Wharton, a 47-year-old White female, and James G. Henry, a 30- or 31-year-old White male. A fourth victim, Jessie B. West, an approximately 77- or 80-year-old White female, was wounded and died days later.
In addition to the fatalities, eight more individuals were injured in the attack. Injured victims included young children as well as adult men and women, some of whom experienced serious wounds. One of the wounded was the press secretary to U.S. Senator B. Everett Jordan, who had been campaigning at the mall that day. The press secretary was shot in the chest and was in critical condition.
The sniper attack was initially thought to possibly target Senator Jordan, given his presence at the scene. However, investigators soon concluded that the violence was random and not specifically aimed at him.
Regarding arrests or suspects: Harvey Glenn McLeod was identified as the shooter. However, he committed suicide at the scene by turning the rifle on himself when he heard police approaching. Thus, no arrest was made, and there was no criminal prosecution—McLeod was the lone perpetrator, and his death left no suspect to bring to justice.
To summarize the key details: Melvin D. Harrison Jr., a 23-year-old White male from Raleigh, North Carolina, died on May 29, 1972, during the sniper attack at North Hills Mall. The sniper, identified as Harvey G. McLeod, a Black male aged 22 or 23, killed three people at the scene and indirectly caused a fourth fatality days later before committing suicide. No arrest was made due to McLeod's self-inflicted death.
