Witnesses describe chaos of shooting at Indiana mall food court that left four dead: ‘It was like an animal kingdom’

‘I’ve got some new kids working, and they were kinda traumatized by it’, pizzeria owner says

People were shopping for supplies as their kids get ready to head back to school and workers were close to the ends of their shifts when the Greenwood Park Mall in Indiana became the scene of a deadly shooting that took the lives of four people, including the shooter, and injured two others.

Mark Tillberry was at the food court when he saw a fight between two people not connected to the shooting through a window. He grabbed his food and headed around a corner along with his group.

Luca Pizza employee Mark Wright was taking out money at the end of his workday and Heather Arthur was eating with her daughters after shopping for school supplies.

It was at that point that the shooting began.

“As soon as we heard shots start popping off — there was at least 25-30 — my guys all hit the deck”, Mr Wright told WXIN.

Mr Tillberry said that when the shots were first heard, people started running. He described the episode as chaotic.

“It was chaos. It was like an animal kingdom in there. We just ran out of the doors at every exit”, he told the local TV station. “We had people going into locked gates, putting them in the back of the stores.”

Ms Arthur told her children to run, with daughter Mckaya telling WXIN, “my mom, she tells me to get up and start running”.

“So, I get up, I run. Then, I found a safe area to hide”, he added.

Ms Arthur said she fell as she ran, scraping her knee, and becoming unable to locate two of her kids.

While Mr Wright said he didn’t witness the shooting, he saw what was left behind.

“It was a scary situation, I’ve got some new kids working, and they were kinda traumatized by it. I never expected this here at this mall”, the 32-year pizza business veteran told WXIN.

Ms Arthur said after the shooting that she has become worried “about going anywhere”.

“I mean there’s violence everywhere you turn and look around, it feels like you’re not safe anywhere”, she said.

FBI agents gather at the scene of the shooting (AP)

Outside the mall in Greenwood, Indiana (REUTERS)

The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Jonathan Sapirman from Greenwood.

The three people who were killed in the Sunday night shooting have been identified as Pedro Pineda, 56, Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda, 37, and Victor Gomez, 30. All three were from Indianapolis.

The Johnson County Coroner’s Office said on Monday that the Pinedas were husband and wife, WISH reported.

Bystander Elisha Dicken, 22, of Bartholomew County, Indiana, shot and killed Sapirman using a long gun.

Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison said that Sapirman had a juvenile record but no adult criminal history.

“His past incidents include offences as a juvenile such as a fight at school and being a juvenile runaway. He does not drive. We believe that he walked to the Greenwood Park Mall last night”, Mr Ison said on Monday.

Sapirman had three guns with him at the mall. He had bought a Sig Sauer Model M400 5.56-caliber rifle in March, a M&P 5.56mm rifle a year previously, and he also brought a Glock 33 pistol.

Mr Ison said Sapirman had more than a hundred rounds of ammunition. He added that it was the Sig Sauer rifle that was used during the shooting.

“We know that Mr Sapirman entered the mall at 4.54pm. He walks directly to the food court restroom. One hour and two minutes later, he exits the restroom and shoots Victor Gomez outside the restroom”, Mr Ison said. “He then points his weapon into the food court where Pedro Pineda and Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda were eating dinner and shot them both.”

“Sapirman then fired several more rounds into the food court, striking a 22-year-old female. A bullet fragment, believed to have ricocheted, hit a 12-year-old female who was running for the exit in the back”, Mr Ison added.

Mr Dicken shot the suspect shortly before 6pm.

“Many more people would have died last night … if not for our Good Samaritan that took action within the first two minutes of the shooting”, Mr Ison said.

Investigators have yet to find a motive, Mr Ison said, adding that the investigation is ongoing and involves local agencies as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The mall is set to reopen on Tuesday, according to owner Simon Properties.