New York Daily News – by Barry Paddock , Vera Chinese , Doyle Murphy AND Corky Siemaszko
The troubled pizza deliveryman who terrorized a New Jersey mall with a high-powered rifle was apparently hoping a police bullet would take him out of his misery.
But a day after Richard Shoop ended his rampage and his life by shooting himself in the basement of the Westfield Garden State Plaza, his stunned brother said “this was something that none of us saw coming.”
“We’re not sure exactly what caused him to do this,” Kevin Shoop said Tuesday outside the family’s Teaneck, N.J. home.
Calling it a “tragic incident,” the grieving brother insisted Shoop “intended to harm nobody else, but himself.”
“He just sadly decided to make it an act, I guess, of self-indulgence,” he said.
ENID ALVAREZ/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Garden State Plaza shooting suspect, Richard Shoop, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, gets taken out of mall and put into a hearse in Paramus, N.J., on Tuesday.
Shoop, 20, was a drug abuser whose drug of choice was Molly — a purer form of ecstacy, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said.
And Shoop left behind an ominous note claiming the “end was coming,” Molinelli said.
“We know that his intent was either suicide or to do something that would cause police to shoot him, which we call ‘suicide by cop,” Molinelli said.
The busy mall, which is located in Paramus, N.J., is expected to reopen for business at 10 a.m. Wednesday, official said.
Shoop walked into the shopping mecca just before closing time at 9:30 p.m. Monday wearing a black leather jacket, a black biker helmet — and carrying his brother’s .22-caliber assault-style rifle.
DAVID HANDSCHUH/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Heavily armed cops arrive at the mall as people flee to safety after an armed man opened fire at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J., just before closing time on Monday.
RELATED: SUSPECTED GARDEN STATE PLAZA GUNMAN FOUND DEAD
Once inside, he opened fire — but not at anybody in particular.
“He had more than enough opportunity to be able to shoot other people,” Molinelli said. “Instead, he shot randomly at different locations.”
Within minutes police swarmed the mall as terrified shoppers fled and workers hid in their stores. Amid the mayhem, Shoop made it to basement construction zone and fatally shot himself.
Shoop was a “hot shot” in high school who stayed behind and delivered pies for Victor’s Pizza while his classmates went off to college, friends said.
DAVID HANDSCHUH/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Heavily armed cops arrive at the mall as people flee to safety after an armed man opened fire at the Garden State Mall in Paramus, NJ just before closing time on Monday.
He was also a well-known drug dealer in Teaneck, said Molinelli.
That was corroborated by other residents, who nevertheless described Shoop as “a really sweet kid.”
“He had a history of heroin abuse,’ said neighbor Audrey Rosen.
Shoop had worked for Victor’s Pizza for four years and was talking about buying an ownership stake in the business.
“He never came here drunk or high or anything,” said manager Robert Gega, 35.
DAVID HANDSCHUH/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
People hug after fleeing a gunman firing shots at the Garden State Mall in Paramus, NJ just before closing time on Monday, November 4, 2013.
But on Friday, Shoop didn’t show up for work.
RELATED: KENYA MALL VIDEO SHOWS TERRORISTS CASUALLY GUN DOWN SHOPPERS
“The last time we saw him was Thursday and he just disappeared,” said Gega.
Shoop responded to one message sent by Gega’s brother, who also helps run the pizzeria. “He sent us a message saying, ‘I’m late but I’ll be there,” Gega said.
“I called him at least 50 times Friday and Saturday. I sent him messages, ‘Dude, are you okay?'”
NORMAN Y. LONO
Mall shooter Richard Shoop as seen in his 2011 Teaneck High School yearbook.
When Shoop didn’t respond, Gega’s brother went by his house to check on him and was told he was gone.
“I figured it was a Halloween party,” Gega said. “This is the last person I would expect to do anything like this. He would never harm anybody.”
Maddi Barbarini, a 20-year-old friend of Shoop’s, happened to be at the mall at the time of the shooting. She said Shoop seemed happy of late and that he had been working out and gotten very buff.
“I spoke to him three days ago he seemed completely fine,” she said. “He told me he was going to leave Victor’s to work in broadcasting.”
He was trying to get brolic. Like get big get muscle. He seemed really content with his life.”
Other residents who knew Shoop said the image of a suicidal gunman clashed with the memories of the young man they knew.
“I’m devastated,” said neighbor Pat King, 52, whose daughter was friends with the shooter. “Why did he have to die? Is there anything we could have done? Such a beautiful kid. I’m just stunned. It’s just really, really tragic.”
A family friend who would only identify himself as Mr. Williams described Shoop as “a gentleman” and “a workaholic.”
Asked why Shoop chose to end his life this way, Williams responded, “We have no idea.”
Who the hell is that guy with the blue jacket and assault rifle in the third pic? He looks like he is posing for the military? That’s not the police. That’s a soldier in a blue uniform. Almost like a new Canadian Mounty or UN uniform with his necktie and all.
Anyone else catch that? I’ve never seen a uniform like that before. Is that like the winter uniform for the police or something? Why so dressed up? Reminds me of some of the NYPD police.
The uniform is that of the NJ State Police they like to look pretty with funny covers and all. NYSP wear light greyish uniforms with round hats that almost look Amish. I would say though that this is still at the least in the older fashion where the color of the uniform maters. For instance the light blue is calming where the dark colors are more authoritative or “evil” Star Wars rings bells here with Vader. NYPD changed the uniform from what it was like in the 70’s and early 80’s from light blue top with dark pants to full on jackboot thugs all black/dark blue even tactical pants as uniform standard. So the NJSP is more inline with what a peace officer should be wearing less the AR of course.
“Once inside, he opened fire — but not at anybody in particular.
“He had more than enough opportunity to be able to shoot other people,” Molinelli said. “Instead, he shot randomly at different locations.””
Doesn’t sound like a crazy person at all. Sounds like someone being blackmailed and he didn’t want to kill anyone.
“Amid the mayhem, Shoop made it to basement construction zone and fatally shot himself.”
Any witnesses see him do it or are we taking the MSM and police’s word for it again?
“Asked why Shoop chose to end his life this way, Williams responded, “We have no idea.””
Because the government probably killed him and made it look like a suicide. Duh! Dead men tell no lies. Either that or he was trying to save protect his family and save the people’s lives by not shooting at them when he was probably supposed to. And with the army of police here for just one simple guy, I can only assume another false flag.
Check out the story links to my comment in
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/2-gunmen-open-fire-inside-popular-new-jersey-mall-active-shooter-situation-photo-of-shooter/64090#comments
“Shoop walked into the shopping mecca just before closing time at 9:30 p.m. Monday wearing a black leather jacket, a black biker helmet — and carrying his brother’s .22-caliber assault-style rifle.”
How did a .22 turn into an AR15?
Of course it was an “assault-STYLE rifle”. Aren’t they all?
How did it turn into a AR15?
Media BS
http://www.guns.com/2013/11/05/abc-wrongly-depicts-lax-shooter-using-m-16-m203-sw-mp15/
Oh, o.k.
Thought maybe he had sprinkled some fairy dust on it or something.
🙂