July 17 (UPI) — Four people were killed, including the suspected gunman, in a mass shooting that erupted Sunday evening at an Indianapolis-area mall, authorities and officials said.
Two others, including a 12-year-old girl, also suffered minor injuries in the shooting, which was quickly brought to an end by a 22-year-old man who fatally shot the unidentified gunman.
“The real hero of the day is the citizen that was lawfully carrying a firearm in that food court and was able to stop that shooter almost as soon as it began,” Greenwood police chief Jim Ison told reporters during a night press conference.
The victims have been identified as one male and four females.
The shooting began shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday at the Greenwood Park Mall, located just south the of Indiana capital, when a man armed with a rifle and several loaded magazines opened fire at the food court, Ison said.
“This has shaken us to our core. This isn’t something that we have seen here in Greenwood before. It is absolutely horrendous,” Ison said.
The motive for the shooting was unknown, he said, adding SWAT teams from various law enforcement agencies have swept the mall and are confident there are no other threats to the public, and evidence was now being collected.
Mayor Mark Myers said the unnamed “good Samaritan” who shot the suspect prevented further deaths.
“This person saved lives tonight,” he said in a statement. “On behalf of the city of Greenwood, I am grateful for this quick action and heroism in this situation.”
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said via Twitter that they were assisting with the investigation, which is being led by the Greenwood Police Department.
