New Jersey Mall Shooter Found Dead

Gunman who fired off rounds at a shopping mall in northern New Jersey apparently shot himself

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Bergen County Prosecutor

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli released a photo of suspected Garden State Plaza shooter Richard Shoop. The image had been posted on a talent agency's website.

The gunman who opened fire at a mall in northern New Jersey Monday night was found dead early Tuesday morning.

Richard Shoop, 20, who fired off at least a half dozen bullets into the Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall on Monday night, was found dead just after 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Bergen County, N.J. prosecutor John Molinelli told CNN that it appears Shoop shot himself. Molinelli also said that Shoop had a history of drug abuse.

The chaos started just before 9:30 p.m. at New Jersey’s largest shopping mall, when police say Shoop walked into the mall dressed in all black and wearing a motorcycle helmet. According to witnesses, Shoop worked his way through the mall, shooting security cameras and firing off about half a dozen shots in all.

The mall was put on lockdown as shoppers and workers scrambled for exits. Shoop then headed to an area of the mall that’s difficult to access and shot himself. No one was injured in the shooting.

[CNN]