05/11/2013 17:59
New Jersey mall gunman found dead hours after shooting
A gunman who opened fire at a New Jersey mall Monday night later holed up in a back room and shot himself in the head, CNN reported, citing authorities.
No one else was injured in the mall shooting.
Richard Shoop's body was found at 3:20 a.m. Tuesday in an obscure part of Westfield Garden State Plaza mall, hours after he fired at least six bullets without striking anyone in the massive shopping center.
He acted alone, authorities say.
"We know that his intent was either suicide or to do something that would cause police to shoot him, which we call 'suicide by cop,'" Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told CNN's "New Day."
"He had more than enough opportunity to be able to shoot other people," including a group adjacent to him, but he didn't, Molinelli said. "Instead, he shot randomly at different locations."
Shots hit the ceiling, an escalator, an elevator and a storefront, the prosecutor said.
The reasons for the shooting remain unclear. Shoop used narcotic drugs and sold drugs as well, Molinelli said.