GREENWOOD — One of the people shot to death by a gunman at Greenwood Park Mall Sunday was carrying a handgun that he never had a chance to pull, Greenwood Police Chief Jim Ison told WRTV.
Victor Gomez was walking in as the gunman was exiting a restroom near the food court when the suspect, Jonathan Douglas Sapirman, shot him to death.
"He (Sapirman) comes out (of a restroom) and the very first person that he sees walking into the restroom, he fires on, (he) shoots, then turns the gun to the food court and starts firing into the food court," Ison said.
Gomez was the first of five people who were shot by the suspect. Three of them died.
Police later found that Gomez was carrying a handgun. Gomez, Ison said, had no chance to pull his gun and defend himself.
“He had no time,” Ison said.
Sapirman fired 24 rounds in about two minutes, Ison said. A bystander, Elisjsha Dicken, pulled a handgun and shot Sapirman to death, police said.
Dicken, who lives in Seymour, fired the first shot from a distance of about 40 to 50 yards, Ison said.
"With a handgun to be that accurate, he was an excellent shot," Ison said. "He (Dicken) then advanced towards the suspect to make sure that he was no longer a threat. As he was moving towards the suspect very tactically, he was motioning for people to exit behind him."
Dicken, 22, has no military or law enforcement training, Ison said. Dicken told investigators that his grandfather taught him how to shoot.
"So this young man has his wits about him. He acted very calmly," Ison said. "Matter of fact, when I first saw it my first question was 'is that a police officer?'”
In the two minutes before Sapirman was stopped, officials said Sapirman killed Gomez, and husband and wife couple Pedro Pineda, 56, and Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda, 37, all of whom live in Indianapolis. A 12-year-old girl suffered a minor injury and another person was hospitalized, police said.
Dicken, Ison said, saved others from being injured or killed.
“I am 100 percent certain that many more people would have died last night if it wasn’t for his heroism.”
More: Mass shooting at Greenwood Park Mall leaves multiple dead, injured | Local lawmakers, leaders react to Greenwood Park Mall shooting | What we know about the mass shooting at Greenwood Park Mall
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on Twitter: @vicryc.
-
Domestic dispute leads to fatal police shooting in Lafayette
A man is dead after a police involved shooting in Lafayette Thursday, which occurred when officers responded to a domestic dispute.
'Indiana: Faces of the Fallen' honors Hoosier veterans no longer with us
A special exhibit at the Fishers Event Center honored fallen Hoosier veterans at Thursday's Indy Ignite Volleyball game.
Shooting on near eastside of Indy, man in critical condition
A person is in critical condition after a shooting on the near eastside of Indianapolis Thursday evening, IMPD said.
From threatening to trendy: How Fountain Square turned around in 30 years
Fountain Square is now one of the most popular places for people in Indianapolis to spend a night on the town. The neighborhood had a much more dangerous reputation 30 years ago.
