A gunman killed at least three people and injured two others when he opened fire on a shopping mall in Indiana over the weekend.
Police say the shooting took place in the food court at Greenwood Park Mall, about nine miles south of Indianapolis, on Sunday evening.
The suspected shooter - identified on Monday as 20-year-old Jonathan Sapirman of Greenwood - was fatally shot by a 22-year-old bystander with a long gun, police said.
The Johnson County Coroner’s office identified the three victims killed as 56-year-old Pedro Pineda, 37-year-old Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda and 30-year-old Victor Gomez. Pedro and Rosa were husband and wife, the coroner said.
What we know about suspect Jonathan Sapirman:
Greenwood Police Department Chief Jim Ison said Sapirman entered the Greenwood Park Mall just before 5pm Sunday armed with three guns and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.
The guns included a Sig Sauer Model M400 5.56-caliber rifle, an M&P 5.56mm rifle, and a Glock 33 pistol.
Upon entering the mall, Sapirman went to a bathroom at the food court where he remained for just over an hour before exiting and firing his first shots at Victor Gomez, killing him with the Sig Sauer rifle.
He then shot Pedro Pineda and Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda as they ate dinner.
“Sapirman then fired several more rounds into the food court, striking a 22-year-old female. A bullet fragment, believed to have ricocheted, hit a 12-year-old female who was running for the exit in the back,” Mr Ison said.
Just before 6pm, Sapirman was confronted by 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken, a bystander who fired several rounds at the suspect. Mr Dicken, of Seymour, Indiana, was hailed as a hero by local authorities for stepping in to stop the gunfire.
“Many more people would have died last night…if not for our Good Samaritan that took action within the first two minutes of the shooting,” Mr Ison said.
The police chief added that Sapirman had no criminal history as an adult but did have a juvenile record.
“His past incidents include offenses as a juvenile such as a fight at school and being a juvenile runaway. He does not drive. We believe that he walked to the Greenwood Park Mall last night,” Mr Ison said.
Officials have yet to determine Sapirman’s motive for the shooting, which is under investigation by local and federal authorities. He is believed to have obtained his firearms legally.
Meanwhile several witnesses have come forward to describe the panic that engulfed the mall when gunfire erupted.
A store worker told WRTV that she was closing when she heard the shooting.
“I was really, really scared. I wanted to close the gate but people kept running at me and I just kept letting people in and in and waiting but it was like really scary because I have three kids at home and I just wanted to get home,” she told the station.
