Garden State Plaza Gunman Found Dead In Mall, Prosecutor Says

by Jim Leggate and Noah Cohen 

The 20-year-old Teaneck man whoopened fire at the Garden State Plaza mall Monday night was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound early Tuesday, authorities said.

Police found the body of Richard Shoop in a mall storage area around 3:20 a.m. after heavily-armed police teams scoured the massive complex for several hours, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said shortly after 4 a.m.

Shoop used a legal .22 caliber rifle modified to look similar to an AK-47, Molinelli said, adding it was stolen from his brother.  

“We believe that for whatever reason the shooter fled further into the mall instead of staying to fight,” Molinelli told reporters at a briefing. “I do not believe Mr. Shoop thought he would come out of this alive.”

Thousands of people evacuated the mall after Shoop, dressed in black and wearing a motorcycle helmet, fired at least six rounds in a concourse area. An estimated 400 patrons hunkered down in locked stores after the shots rang out, Molinelli said. There were no reports of injuries. At least 500 police officers from dozens of local, state and county agencies and the FBI responded to the mall.

Around 1 a.m. Tuesday, authorities raided Shoop’s family home on Emerson Avenue in Teaneck. Molinelli said a note was found inside, but did not immediately describe what it said. Shoop's family had assisted police and led them to believe he was the shooter, according to Molinelli.

Although Shoop’s motive remained unclear, the prosecutor said Shoop, who grew up in Washington Township, had a history of drug use and was known to local police. Molinelli said it appeared that Shoop had not planned to shoot anyone other than himself.

Witnesses detailed a chaotic scene in which they took cover in stores between bursts of gunfire.

Anthea Brown, 26, who works at Talbots, said she looked the gunman in the eyes.

"I just froze," Brown said. "I didn't know what to think. He just looked at me and kept on moving."

Clarice Forbes, of Paterson, who also works at Talbots, said the man walked by the store while shooting a rifle into air.

“It was very, very terrifying. Very scary,” Forbes said.

Alaa Hegazi, a contractor working in the mall, said the shooter told him, “I don’t want to shoot anyone here, just let me go."

Ben Fastman, who manages a kiosk selling hair products, said people ran past his kiosk screaming, “There’s shooting, there’s shooting.”

Officials in Paramus said the mall would remain closed Tuesday.