http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-11-05/garden-state-mall-shooting-ends-gunman-taking-his-life
Garden State Plaza Mall Shooting Ends With Gunman Taking His Life
Last's night latest mass shooting event, just three days after a comparable situation at LAX airport, and this time just minutes away from New York City, is over with the alleged gunman, Richard Shoop, 20, taking his life.
The gunman who opened fire inside a sprawling New Jersey mall was found dead inside the mall early this morning with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
Authorities identified the suspect as Richard Shoop, 20, of Teaneck, N.J., and said his body was found in a back area of mall around 3:20 a.m.
Police discovered his body more than six hours after they say Shoop entered the Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall Monday night and fired his weapon at least six times, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said at an early morning news conference. The gun, described as a modified rifle, was owned lawfully by his brother, Molinelli said.
Police are still sweeping the 2.2-million-square-foot building in Paramus to make sure all shoppers and employees evacuated. About 400 people were still inside the mall when police ordered a lockdown of the entire building.
There have been no other reported injuries at this time.
Shoop, according to Molinell, has a history of drug abuse and is known to law enforcement in Bergan County. Molinell said Shoop's drug of choice was MDMA, also known as "Molly."
Police found a suicide note at Shoop's home, but did not disclose what was written.
Bergan County spokeswoman Jeanne Baratta said the first call came in shortly after 9 p.m. that a gunman was inside the mall. Police initially responded to an "active shooter" alert after reports of multiple shots fired.
Baratta said SWAT teams and other police agencies converged on the mall. Authorities swept the mall because they were unsure whether the gunman was still inside. Paramus Mayor Rich LaBarbiera initially said police found one shell casing inside the mall.
Panicked shoppers raced toward the exits or hid inside the mall. Witnesses said they saw authorities running inside the mall with their weapons drawn. The mall was immediately placed on lockdown.
Multiple eyewitnesses said the shooter was armed with some kind of rifle, wearing a motorcycle-style helmet and black clothing.
WATCH: Police Respond to Shooting at New Jersey Shopping Mall
Mall restaurant employee Joseph Rivera said his co-workers saw the suspect "…in full body armor. He had a huge rifle and a helmet on."
Eric Delgado, 20, was shopping with friends inside the mall when heard a gunshot and saw the gunman. After Delgado saw the gunman, he along with seven others hid in a dressing room for 45 minutes and heard a second gunshot.
"He didn't seem that he wanted to kill anyone because he clearly could of because there were people two feet in front of him that he could have shot at, but he didn't shoot at them. Instead he shot towards the ceiling…" Delgado said.
A staging area has been set up near Chili's Grill & Bar for family members to be reunited with anyone inside the mall during the lockdown.
Law enforcement officials have been informed by management of the Garden State Plaza Mall that it will be closed today. No word on when it will re-open.
The Garden State Plaza Mall, about 25 miles west of New York City, features more than 300 retail stores including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Twitchy.....
Crazy nite in Jersey....some tweets from the scene..
http://paramus.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/active-shooter-in-garden-state-plaza_3aa37da4
Police Hunt For Teaneck Man In Connection With Garden State Plaza Shooting
Mall will be closed Tuesday as search for alleged shooter continues.
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
By Jim Leggate, Devin McGinley, Rob Heinemann and Noah Cohen
A man armed with a long gun opened fire Monday night in the upper level of the Garden State Plaza, forcing the mall into a lockdown deep into the night and sparking a massive search for the shooter.
Nobody was injured when the man -- dressed in all black and wearing a helmet -- began firing into the ceiling on the second level of the mall's Nordstrom wing, authorities said.
A law enforcement source identified a man sought for questioning in the incident as Richard Shoop, 20, of Teaneck. Investigators in Teaneck blocked off Emerson Avenue, on which Shoop's family lives.
The mall was locked down as of midnight, as authorities worked to evacuate the more than 1,000 people who remained inside, Paramus Deputy OEM Coordinator James Tedesco said. Tedesco said authorities believe the shooter exited the mall near Nordstrom.
"This is a scene we need to secure and need to get everyone out of the mall safe," Tedesco said.
Tedesco said that authorities have a video of the shooter and have recovered a shell casing. Police were focusing their presence near the entrance to Nordstrom.
It was unclear if the gunshots were connected in any way to the midnight release of Call of Duty:Ghost, the latest in the wildly popular first-person shooter franchise.
GameStop, which is near Nordstrom in the Garden State Plaza, was among stores nationwide scheduled to participate in the midnight sale.
Authorities said they have set up a staging area for anyone traveling to the mall to pick up people who were trapped during the lockdown. Cars may enter the Chili’s parking lot adjacent to Route 17 south, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release.
The mall will be closed Tuesday, and authorities will hold a press conference early Tuesday morning at the Paramus baseball complex next to the mall.
Mall workers said they heard two series of shots before being ordered to evacuate. Authorities said the incident occurred at 9:19 p.m. while the mall was still open.
Officials were interviewing potential witnesses inside a command post shortly after 12:30 a.m.
Witnesses described the gunman as wearing a black leather jacket and pants, a backpack and a motorcycle helmet with the visor open. They detailed a chaotic scene in which they took cover in stores between bursts of gunfire.
Anthea Brown, 26, who works at Talbots, said she looked the man in the eyes.
"I just froze," said. "I didn't know what to think. He just look at me and kept on moving."
Clarice Forbes, of Paterson, who also works at Talbots, said the man walked by the store while shooting a rifle into air.
“It was very, very terrifying. Very scary,” Forbes said.
Alaa Hegazi, a contractor working in the mall, said the shooter told him, “I don’t want to shoot anyone here, just let me go."
Ben Fastman, who manages a kiosk selling hair products, said people ran past his kiosk screaming, “There’s shooting, there’s shooting.”
Shots Fired At Garden State Plaza Mall In New Jersey — Suspect Still At Large
AP
Police are still looking for a lone gunman after responding to reports of shots fired in the Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus, N.J., shortly before 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday.
Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbier told reporters at a news conference around 11:15 p.m. ET Monday night that police believe the shooter has left the mall, but has not been apprehended. It is no longer an active shooting incident, said Jim Tedesco, the deputy coordinator of the New Jersey Office of Emergency management.
LaBarbier also confirmed there are no injuries reported.
"I want to assure anybody who's home — has family members who could be at the mall — there are zero injuries," LaBarbier said.
Paramus Chief of Police Ken Ehrenberg released a statement shortly after midnight on Tuesday:
"At approximately 9:19 this evening, a single male entered the Garden State Plaza mall and fired several shots while the shopping mall was still open. He was dressed in black wearing what is believed to be a motorcycle helmet. The weapon has not yet been recovered. No further shots were fired and there are no reported injuries.
"Many patrons and employees are still in the mall, which remains in lockdown, under the direction of Chief Ehrenberg of the Paramus Police Department."
Eddie Kahmann, a mall employee, told CNN's Anderson Cooper that he heard gunfire around 9:20 p.m.
"There were just people running like crazy, so I quickly just closed my doors, ran to the back, turned off all the lights, music and everything, just to stay hidden," Kahmann told CNN.
Ally Cozic, another witness, told Cooper that a man dressed in black looked like he was carrying a firearm in the mall. Cozic also said that she believed the man was wearing some kind of "tactical vest" or body armor. Both Kahmann and Cozic spoke with Cooper by phone from inside the mall.
Another mall employee told News12 in New Jersey that the man was wearing a bicycle helmet, making possible identification impossible.
Here was the early scene outside the mall, which is located in Bergen County, about 22 miles southwest of Manhattan.
Good morning Fred,
ReplyDeleteWow another shooting, almost like there is a larger force directing these to benefit the gun control push.
I really dread finding out how badly I'm screwed by Ocare, I do have my policy thru work but the HR dept is still working on next years plan so I'm in the dark. Maybe I'll get lucky.
Remember the 5th of November, happy Guy Fawkes day! I don't expect diddly from Anonomoose, think they are compromised or maybe just a front. Seems all the opposition is controlled, here and abroad, now and in the the past.
Morning Kev - these gunners are just being rolled out ! Motive unknown with this guy , although it doesn't appear he wanted to harm anyone.
ReplyDeleteHave to wait to see what if anything happens on Guy Fawkes Day - not expecting much , but we shall see.
Employer plans seem to be set up for different treatment ( especially if your Employer is + 100 in size....)