The gunman who opened fire at an Indiana mall on Sunday, killing three and leaving two others injured, was carrying two legally owned rifles and more than 100 rounds of ammo. Jonathan Douglas Sapirman, 20, has been identified as the gunman, who fired 24 rounds from his legally owned rifle before being killed by a Good Samaritan two minutes later.
The Good Samaritan has been identified as Elisjsha Dicken, 22, who was shopping at the Greenwood Park Mall. Dicken pulled out his gun and shot dead Sapirman after he saw him open fire inside the food court of the mall. Police on Monday praised the quick action of Dicken and said that the attack could have been deadlier had Sapirman not been shot dead almost immediately.
Troubled Past
Police on Monday identified Sapirman as the gunman in the Greenwood Park Mall shooting, revealing that he used an AR-style rifle for the shooting. He was carrying two rifles, a pistol and at least 100 rounds of ammo.
Before opening fire in the food court, Sapirman waited in the mall bathroom for an hour. He used a Sig Sauer 400M rifle that he legally bought in March this year from a nearby gun shop. Sapirman remained in the restroom for 62 minutes before coming out and opening fire near and into the mall's food court.
Three people were shot dead, who have been identified as Pedro Pineda, 56, Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda, 37, and Victor Gomez, 30. It's unknown if he shot them randomly or if he had specific targets in mind.
Dicken who was nearby, shopping with his girlfriend, saw Sapirman and without thinking much pulled out his weapon and shot dead the gunman. He has since been hailed as a hero for his prompt action to neutralize Sapirman.
"He is a true American hero who saved countless lives during a horrific event that could have been so much worse if not for Eli's courage, preparedness and willingness to protect others," Dicken's lawyer, Guy Relford, said.
Out of respect for the victims and the ongoing police investigation, he refrained to make any other comments.
Police haven't said anything about Sapirman's motive. However, they said that Sapirman was recently evicted from his apartment, according to his family.
Motive Still Not Clear
Although police haven't said much, claims on social media are being made that Sapirman shared three photos via an Imgur link before the shooting. In addition to the photos of his other weaponry, the pictures appear to show Sapirman holding a gun to his head while donning a white shirt, pants, and an ammunition vest.
Sapirman didn't have a criminal history as an adult, but the police were aware of two incidences from when he was a minor—one in which he got into a fight at school and the other in which he ran away from home. His family hasn't responded to the tragedy in any way.
According to police, Sapirman lived on his own after being evicted. He had also resigned from a warehouse job in May, Ison said.
Not much is known about Sapirman. Police too are tightlipped given that an investigation into the case is ongoing, with the FBI, ATF, Department of Homeland security and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police all assisting.
Police said that investigators recovered 24 rounds fired by Sapirman and 10 rounds fired by Dicken. Despite having other weapons, Sapirman could only shoot from one gun, according to Ison.
The seconds leading up to the incident are captured on security camera, according to Chief Ison. Police are now investigating the footages. According to assistant chief of police Chris Bailey, officers were summoned to Greenwood Park Mall shortly before 6 p.m. after reports that bullets had been fired in the food court.
Although Bailey stated that he believed the shooting was limited to the food court, authorities scoured the mall for any other victims or anybody who may have been hiding.
According to officials, a suspicious backpack was discovered in a restroom close to the scene of the shooting, which took place next to a Dick's Sporting Goods store. The bomb squad looked into it before deciding it wasn't a threat.
The shooting on Sunday is the most recent incident in a string of gun attacks that have plagued the United States, where firearms are responsible for approximately 40,000 fatalities annually, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
