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A gunman who opened fire at a New Jersey mall Monday night later holed up in a back room and shot himself in the head, authorities say.
No one else was injured in the mall shooting.
Richard Shoop's body was found at 3:20 a.m. Tuesday in an obscure part of Westfield Garden State Plaza mall, hours after he fired at least six bullets without striking anyone in the massive shopping center.
He acted alone, authorities say.
"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,' " Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told CNN's "New Day."
"He had more than enough opportunity to be able to shoot other people," including a group adjacent to him, but he didn't, Molinelli said. "Instead, hShots hit the ceiling, an escalator, an elevator and a storefront, the prosecutor said.
The reasons for the shooting remain unclear. Shoop used narcotic drugs and sold drugs as well, Molinelli said.
And he left behind a note referring to the idea that the "end was coming," Molinelli said. "That could mean going to jail, getting arrested, or it could mean suicide." Authorities don't know whether Shoop left the note immediately before going to the mall.e shot randomly at different locations."
Shots hit the ceiling, an escalator, an elevator and a storefront, the prosecutor said.
The reasons for the shooting remain unclear. Shoop used narcotic drugs and sold drugs as well, Molinelli said.
And he left behind a note referring to the idea that the "end was coming," Molinelli said. "That could mean going to jail, getting arrested, or it could mean suicide." Authorities don't know whether Shoop lefShoop's brother, Kevin, called authorities after hearing about the shooting and said he thought Shoop might be the gunman, Molinelli said. Police did not confirm the shooter's identity until they found his body.
"We're not sure exactly what caused him to do this, and we're all devastated," Kevin Shoop told reporters Tuesday.
"My brother intended to harm nobody else but himself. He just, sadly, decided to make ... an act of self-indulgence by taking his own life publicly. And it's a tragedy to us all," he said.t the note immediately before going to the mall
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