Three victims and the murderer have been killed at the Greenwood Park Mall, in Indiana, about 6 p.m., and two people were wounded. The murderer was almost immediately shot and killed by an Armed Samaritan. The Armed Samaritan has been reported to be a 22-year-old man from Bartholomew County, who has a valid permit to carry. He is believed to have been armed with a handgun. Greenwood Park Mall is on the South edge of the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
Make, model and caliber(s) of the firearms involved have not been released at this time.
A spokesman for the Greenwood Police Department said the responding agencies got their very quickly. They had trained intensively for this scenario.
But, he said, the real hero was the Armed Samaritan who stopped the mass murder just as it was getting started. From the video of Greenwood Police Department spokesman:
"I am going to tell you the real hero of the day is the citizen that was lawfully carrying firearms in that food court and was able to stop this shooting almost as soon as it began."
Details of the mass murder and fast response by an Armed Samaritan are still emerging. From Fox59.com:
The Greenwood Police Department confirmed Sunday that a lone shooter, believed to be an adult male, entered the food court of the mall around 6 p.m. with a rifle and several magazines of ammo. The suspect then shot into the mall, killing three people and injuring two more.
GPD also confirmed Sunday that the shooter was shot and killed by a Good Samaritan who was armed with a handgun. The man who shot the suspect, identified as a 22-year-old from Bartholomew County, had a legal gun permit and is fully cooperating with police.
Link to video of Greenwood Police press interview
A quick search of the Internet for Greenwood Park mall did not find any policies restricting the carry of firearms on the premises. A quick google maps survey of entrance doors to the mall did not reveal any obvious signage restricting firearms. It is always possible small, inconspicuous signs could be missed.
At first examination, it appears Greenwood Park mall is not a gun-free zone. This confirms what the Greenwood Police Department stated. The Armed Samaritan was not violating any laws.
Based on the recent law passed in New York State, the Armed Samaritan would almost certainly have been banned from a mall there.
Indiana passed a Constitutional Carry bill in 2022. It went into effect on July 1, 2022. In Indiana, no permit is required to carry a firearm in public places, openly or concealed, as long as the carrier may legally possess the firearm.
Opinion:
While we cannot know how many lives were saved by the Armed Samaritan, the police appear to believe many were saved. This validates the wisdom of a dispersed, armed populace, which can react to a mass murder much faster than police can.
The responder does not need to be Wyatt Earp. They just need to be where they are needed, and have the will to respond. Armed Samaritans have the great advantage of being inside the event, rather than coming to it and having to determine what is happening minutes into the event.
When seconds are lives lost, police are only minutes away.
©2022 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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