Richard Shoop Identified As NJ Mall Shooting Suspect, Police Still Searching For Him

Richard Shoop has been identified as the NJ Mall shooting suspect, police in Paramus have said.

It is believed that Shoop entered the Garden State Plaza Mall near closing time on Monday night wearing black clothing with a black helmet. He reportedly fired at least one shot, though no one has been reported hurt.

The NJ mall shooting prompted several hundred police officers to respond, with SWAT teams sweeping through to search for Richard Shoop.

While stores and restaurants remained on lockdown for hours after the shooting, shoppers and employees trapped inside relayed information via social media. One woman tweeted that she ran from the mall screaming, and others described New Jersey State Troopers escorting people from the building.

One witness told NBC 4 that he saw “a man dressed in all black, including a black helmet,” who was “carrying a rifle and started firing shots inside the mall.”

Reports appeared to point toward a targeted attack inside the NJ mall, though some witnesses say Richard Shoop informed them that he didn’t intend to hurt anyone.

There were differing reports on the number of shots fired during the NJ mall shooting.

Eddie Kahmann, a mall employee, told CNN he heard 6 or 7 shots.

“There was just people running like crazy, so I quickly just closed my doors, ran to the back, turned off all the lights, music and everything, just to stay hidden,” he said.

Shoop was identified by two law enforcement sources, NJ.com reported. The sources remained anonymous as the information has yet to be officially released. Shoop is 20 years old and lives in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Law enforcement said the hunt for Richard Shoop continues in the vicinity of the NJ mall after the shooting. They believe he still may be somewhere on the campus of the sprawling mall, which is one of the largest malls in the nation.