3 dead in Indiana mall shooting and a witness kills gunman, police say : NPR
Kelly Wilkinson / AP
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Three people were shot dead and two wounded Sunday night at an Indiana shopping center after a man with a rifle opened fire in a food court and an armed civilian shot him dead. me, the police said.
The man entered Greenwood Park Shopping Center with a rifle and some magazines and began shooting in the food court, Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison said.
Ison said a 22-year-old man from nearby Bartholomew County was carrying a gun at the mall and killed the gunman at a news conference.
Four of those hit were women and one was a man, Ison said. He did not immediately know the specific gender or age of those killed.
He said a 12-year-old girl was among the two injured, both in stable condition.
Police seized a suspicious backpack in a bathroom near the food court, Ison said.
Officers arrived at the mall around 6 p.m. to report the shooting.
“The real hero of the day was the citizen who legally carried a gun in that food court and was able to stop the shooter almost as soon as he started,” said Ison.
Mass shootings are just the latest to terrify Americans in 2022. Schools, churches, groceries and a 4th of July Parade in Highland Park, Illinois, have all become murder grounds in recent months. However, the reality of America’s staggering homicide rate can often be seen more clearly in the rarely reported individual deaths.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police and other agencies are assisting with the investigation.
“We are sickened by a different kind of incident like this in our country,” said Assistant Indianapolis Sheriff Chris Bailey.
Authorities said there was no threat to the area on Sunday night.
Greenwood is a southern suburb of Indianapolis with a population of about 60,000. Mayor Mark Myers asked for “prayers for our victims and first responders.”
“This tragedy affects the core of our community,” Myers said in a statement.
Authorities said they would provide more details on Monday.