GREENWOOD, Ind. — A mall in a suburb just south of Indianapolis was the site of a mass shooting Sunday afternoon that took the lives of three victims and the shooter, injuring two more.
Here is all that we know so far about the Sunday shooting at Greenwood Park Mall.
The Greenwood Park Mall shooting
The Greenwood Police Department confirmed that around 6 p.m. Sunday a lone suspect entered the food court of the Greenwood Park Mall, located at 1251 U.S. Hwy 31 North in Greenwood, Indiana. The suspect then shot into the mall, killing three people and injuring two more.
According to authorities, one victim that was killed was just outside of the restroom when he was shot. Two other victims, a married couple, were sitting and eating when the gunman opened fire, killing them.
Police said 24 rounds were fired and five people were hit within 15 seconds before an armed bystander shot and killed the shooter. The armed civilian fired 10 shots from approximately 30 yards away, hitting the suspect 8 times.
The shooter
The coroner’s office and Greenwood Police Department on Monday identified the shooter, who died on the scene:
- Jonathan Douglas Sapirman
- 20-year-old from Greenwood
- Cause of death: 8 gunshot wounds, none of which were self-inflicted
- Died in Greenwood Park Mall
- Death was investigated by Johnson County Coroner’s Office
The suspect was initially described by police as an adult male armed with a rifle and multiple magazines. Officials have since clarified that Sapirman used a Sig Sauer M400 semi-automatic rifle to shoot the victims. He also had another rifle and a handgun.
GPD added that Sapirman, the lone shooting suspect, is believed to have walked to the mall, entered a bathroom and spent an hour and two minutes in there before exiting. Sapirman, who police said brought over 100 rounds, then left the restroom and began shooting inside the mall, police said.
It is not known at this time what Sapirman was doing in the bathroom the hour prior to the shooting.
In addition to a backpack with ammunition, police said they recovered two other guns and the suspect’s cell phone from the scene. Investigators are looking to uncover information from the phone.
Police raided the apartment of the suspected gunman hours after the shooting. There, officers found a laptop inside an oven that was at a high temperature. A can of butane was also found in the oven.
CBS4’s Russ McQuaid was at the suspect’s residence at Polo Run Apartments Monday morning and talked to neighbors who said that between midnight and 3 a.m. there was a raid at the apartment. The raid included SWAT teams, FBI and a bomb disposal unit.
No motive has been released.
Family members told police they were surprised by Sapirman’s attack and that he’d never shown violent indications to them. Sapirman lived alone, police said, and was a graduate of Greenwood High School.
GPD confirmed Monday that Sapirman had been a regular at a local shooting range, Range USA Greenwood, for the last two years.
The victims
The Johnson County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Monday that three victims were killed in the shooting. Those victims were identified as:
- Pedro Pineda (pictured below)
- A 56-year-old husband from Indianapolis
- Cause of death: Multiple gunshot wounds
- Died in Greenwood Park Mall
- Death was investigated by Johnson County Coroner’s Office
- Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda (pictured below)
- A 37-year-old wife from Indianapolis
- Cause of death: Multiple gunshot wounds
- Died in Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital
- Death was investigated by Marion County Coroner’s Office
- Victor Gomez (no available photo)
- A 30-year-old man from Indianapolis
- Cause of death: Multiple gunshot wounds
- Died in Saint Francis Hospital and Health Center
- Death was investigated by Marion County Coroner’s Office
Greenwood Police Chief James Ison confirmed Sunday that all of the victims were adults, besides one juvenile female who was mildly injured.
That 12-year-old female, Ison said, left the mall and was taken to a hospital after talking to her parents about being injured in the incident. Photos of her bullet wounds, provided by her family, are below:
Both of the two injured victims are in the hospital in stable condition, police said.
The Good Samaritan
Ison also confirmed Sunday that the shooter was shot and killed by a man visiting the mall. The Good Samaritan, as police called him, was armed with a Glock handgun.
On Monday, officials identified the armed citizen that shot and killed Sapirman as 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken from Seymour. Dicken was at the mall shopping with his girlfriend when the shooting began, police said.
Police said that Dicken, who fired 10 rounds from approximately 30 yards away and hit the suspect 8 times, was legally carrying the gun and is fully cooperating with police.
“The real hero of the day was the citizen that was lawfully carrying a firearm in the food court and was able to stop the shooter almost as soon as he began,” Ison said.
Monday night it was announced that the Law Office of Guy Relford had been retained as Dickens’ attorney and spokesperson.
In a statement, Relford referred to Dicken as a “true American hero who saved countless lives” at the Greenwood Park Mall Sunday.
“Because we want to respect the ongoing criminal investigation by the Greenwood Police Department and take time to honor the three innocent lives lost, we won’t be making any substantive comments on Sunday’s events until after the authorities’ investigation is closed,” said Relford. “In the interim, we ask that you respect the privacy of Eli and his family.”
According to Simon Property’s blanket policy, weapons are not allowed in the mall. However, his actions are being praised. As the mayor said, his actions saved lives.
On Monday, a Greenwood Park Mall spokesperson said the following:
We are grateful for the strong response of the first responders, including the heroic actions of the Good Samaritan who stopped the suspect.
Greenwood Park Mall
Police released an updated timeline of the events on Tuesday, saying that the time lapse from when Sapirman exited the bathroom to when he was neutralized by Dicken was only 15 seconds.
Statement from shooter’s family
On July 22, an attorney for Sapirman’s family released a statement on their behalf.
“Our deepest condolences to all the families who have suffered as a result of the tragedy at the Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday, July 17, 2022. We had no reason to believe that Jonathan would ever engage in these extreme actions. We are unable to offer any explanation for his decisions and are as shocked as the rest of the community. Our last communications with Jonathan in the days prior were cheerful and he was looking forward to future plans.
“We are cooperating completely with law enforcement in efforts to provide insight into not only Jonathan’s actions, but also in the chance anything we may add could aid in preventing similar events. There are no feelings of hostility toward Mr. Dicken in doing what was right given the circumstances.
“We choose to remember Jonathan as the thoughtful and intelligent young man we knew and loved. We, too, are grieving and kindly request that our privacy is respected in this difficult time.”
The backpack
A backpack was found in a bathroom near the shooting scene, GPD said. At the time, the Johnson County Bomb Squad was called and soon after cleared it of any explosives, police said.
On Monday, police clarified that the backpack likely belonged to Sapirman and that multiple personal items of his were also recovered from the scene. His cell phone was found in the bathroom toilet.
The aftermath
Dozens of people in the mall at the time of the shooting gathered Sunday evening near Dick’s Sporting Goods as law enforcement and first responders from multiple different agencies responded to the scene.
Click below to hear witness accounts from the scene.
All of the halls and corridors of the mall were immediately cleared by authorities, GPD said, and there is no further threat to the public.
A Greenwood Park Mall spokesperson confirmed the mall was still closed on Monday as police continue investigating. However, the mall reopened on Tuesday.
The investigation
Many agencies are involved in the investigation, including but not limited to the FBI, Johnson County Coroner’s Office, Marion County Coroner’s Office, SWAT teams, Indiana State Police, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the head agency Greenwood Police Department.
GPD’s Ison addressed the media outside of the mall Sunday, providing info on the investigation.
“As you can imagine, this type of situation is horrible,” Ison said. “It’s rocked us to our core.”
Greenwood police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting to go to the Greenwood Police Training Center at 736 Loews Blvd or call Johnson County Dispatch at (317) 346-6336.
The response
In the aftermath of the shooting Monday, Greenwood Park Mall released a statement:
“We grieve for the victims of yesterday’s horrific tragedy in Greenwood. Violence has no place in this or any other community. We are grateful for the strong response of the first responders, including the heroic actions of the Good Samaritan who stopped the suspect.“
Greenwood Park Mall
Multiple other organizations as well as elected officials weighed in on the shooting, offering reactions and statements.
The following statement was sent out by Greenwood Mayor Mark W. Myers:
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb released the following statement:
“I join all Hoosiers in being grateful for the quick, heroic actions taken by an individual citizen and first responders on Sunday evening in Greenwood, surely preventing further loss of life and injuries. I stand with the community in grieving the loss of lives, and my thoughts are also with the many people impacted by this traumatic incident, including innocent bystanders whose lives are forever changed.“
Gov. Eric Holcomb
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett released the following statement:
“We are devastated to learn that the three victims in yesterday’s mass shooting in Greenwood are Indianapolis residents. Our thoughts are with the friends and families of Rosa, Pedro, and Victor as we mourn together as one city.
Just over a year after we lost 8 lives to a mass shooting in our city, we face a familiar pain and frustration. Still, we lift up the memory of those who died, along with all those who have been lost too soon to the mindless menace of gun violence.”
Mayor Hogsett
Indiana Senator Todd Young tweeted about the incident, calling it “terrible news”.
“Terrible news tonight in my home county. Praying for the victims of a shooting at the Greenwood Park Mall. Thank you to our law enforcement officers who responded.”
Tweet from Sen. Todd Young
Senator Mike Braun also tweeted about the shooting and offered condolences.
“Praying for families of those killed in a senseless act of violence in Greenwood tonight, and grateful for the brave armed citizen who took action to stop the perpetrator and prevent further tragic loss of life.”
Tweet from Sen. Mike Braun
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita also tweeted following the shooting.
“This senseless act in Greenwood is devastating. Hoosiers across the state are no doubt upset but also mobilized in care & prayer for their fellow Hoosiers. The bravery of the armed individual who took action to stop the shooter undoubtedly saved lives, and for that I and many others are grateful.”
Tweet from AG Todd Rokita
The mayor of Seymour, where the armed citizen who stopped the shooting is from, released a statement Monday regarding the shooting.
“Prayers for the families of the victims, those who were wounded, the first responders, the whole community, and especially to the young man who was put in a difficult position protecting other mall visitors.”
Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson
Congressmen Andre Carson released the following statement in response to both the Greenwood and Beech Grove shooting:
“My prayers are with the families and victims in Greenwood, Beech Grove and the other mass shootings across our country this weekend.
Mass shootings must not become the norm.
You shouldn’t be at risk taking yourself or your family to the mall, grocery, park or place of worship.
This public safety and public health crisis plaguing our country needs to be addressed at all levels of Government until no lives are lost to these preventable tragedies.”
U.S. Rep. Andre Carson
Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, two groups that are part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s network, released a joint statement reacting to the shooting.
“Our hearts break for the Greenwood community and all of those taken or wounded in this tragic shooting,” said Cathy Weinmann, a volunteer with the Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We should not have to live in fear that gunfire can ring out while shopping at the mall and that our only answer is to live in a society where we shop with guns at the ready. We need to prevent gun violence before it happens and our lawmakers must step up and take action that protects our communities from gun violence.”
For more coverage on the mass shooting, click here.
