Near closing time, at about 9:20 pm, at one of New Jersey's largest malls, the Westfield Garden State Plaza, a gunman dressed in black, wearing a motorcycle helmet, and carrying what looked like an AK-47, entered the mall and began shooting randomly as thousands of people ran and hid wherever they could.

Despite the large number of shoppers in the mall, no one was injured in the gunfire. The gunman did not seem intent on killing any of the scores of people within range, but instead put bullets in an escalator, elevator, security cameras, and storefront as well as the ceiling.

Mall-goers and shopkeepers stayed hidden for hours as heavily-armed and flak-jacketed authorities combed the mall for the shooter. Police did not know if the shooter had remained in the 2-million-square-foot mall after the brief shooting spree or if he had left the building and was at large.

Shortly after the news of the gunman at the mall hit the media, a caller reported to police that he thought that the gunman was possibly his brother. Information as to the identity of the gunman was given to authorities but officials did not release that information as it was unconfirmed.

Hours later, the body of pizza restaurant worker, 20-year-old Richard Shoop was located in an area of the mall under construction. He was found at about 3 am, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He still had his firearm with him, it was found not to be an AK-47, but instead a firearm modified to look as if it were. Shoop’s brother confirmed that Shoop had taken the weapon from him without his knowledge and confirmed that it was in fact a legal firearm.

The 20-year-old man would be found to have a history of drug use and abuse. Authorities located a note that he had left, that said in part that the “end was coming.” Authorities are unsure as to what Shoop was referring to. They were also unsure if the message was left just prior to the shooting spree at the mall.

Officials surmise that Shoop was not intent on shooting anyone at the mall, but was instead attempting suicide by police. Shoop ended up taking his own life, police never fired a shot on Monday night or Tuesday morning as they searched for him.

Shoop’s employer, the owner of Victor’s Pizza Shop, said that Shoop was a nice, quiet guy and was good and trustworthy. But, he also told police that he was a little off and “not his usual self” in the weeks leading up to Shoop’s unexplained shooting spree in the mall.