Shocked family of Indiana mall shooter say he was ‘cheerful’ in days before attack

Jonathan Sapirman was shot and killed by a bystander after he gunned down three people on 17 July

Indiana Mall Shooting (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The family of the man who fatally shot three people at a shopping mall in Indiana have shared their shock at the attack, saying he was “cheerful” in the days before.

Jonathan Sapirman’s father and brother, Jeffrey and Justin Sapirman, released a statement through their attorney on Friday expressing their “deepest condolences who have suffered as a result of the tragedy at the Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday.”

"We had no reason to believe that Jonathan would ever engage in these extreme actions. We are unable to offer any explanation for his decisions and are as shocked as the rest of the community,” the statement read.

They said their last communications with Jonathan in the days before the attack were “cheerful” and that he was looking forward to future plans.

“We are cooperating completely with law enforcement in efforts to provide insight into not only Jonathan’s actions, but also in the chance anything we may add could aid in preventing similar events," they said.

The Sapirmans also said they have “no feelings of hostility” toward Elisjsha Dicken, a 22-year-old man from Seymour who was shopping at the mall that evening and who ended the attack by fatally shooting Jonathan Sapirman.

“We choose to remember Jonathan as the thoughtful and intelligent young man we knew and loved. We, too, are grieving and kindly request that our privacy is respected in this difficult time,” the statement concluded.

Jonathan Sapirman shot and killed a married Indianapolis couple — Pedro Pineda, 56, and Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda, 37 — and Victor Gomez, 30, also of Indianapolis.

Two people were also wounded in the attack: a woman who was shot in the leg and a 12-year-old girl who was hit in the back by shrapnel.

Investigators have not determined a motive in the shooting, which saw Jonathan Sapirman fire 24 times within 15 seconds before he was taken down by Mr Dicken.

Jonathan Sapirman had entered the mall just before 5pm on 17 July, armed with a Sig Sauer Model M400 5.56-caliber rifle, an M&P 5.56mm rifle, and a Glock 33 pistol.

He went to a bathroom at the food court and remained there for just over an hour before exiting and opening fire with the Sig Sauer rifle.