GREENWOOD, Ind. — The family of the man accused of shooting and killing three people at the Greenwood Park Mall released a statement Friday.
At around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 17, a gunman opened fire at the mall's food court. He killed three people: A married couple and a man standing near the bathroom where the gunman spent more than an hour preparing for the shooting. He also injured a 22-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl.
Those killed are 56-year-old Pedro Pineda, his wife 37-year-old Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda and 30-year-old Victor Gomez. All died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to autopsy reports released July 19.
On Friday, just short of a week after the shooting, the gunman's father and brother released a statement, offering their condolences.
"On behalf of Jeffrey (father) and Justin (brother) Sapirman. Our deepest condolences to all the families who have suffered as a result of the tragedy at the Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday, July 17, 2022," the statement read.
They said they were just as shocked as the rest of the community, had no reason to believe the shooter would take these extreme actions and that they can't offer any explanation for what he did.
In the statement, they added that they have "no feelings of hostility toward Mr.Dicken [the armed bystander who killed the gunman] in doing what was right given the circumstances."
Local police are continuing to work with members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in investigating the gunman's past, and searching for a motive.
The FBI is processing the gunman's laptop, both of which he seemingly attempted to destroy. His cell phone was found submerged in a toilet in the mall's bathroom.
And, when police searched his home on Monday, they said they found the oven on at a high temperature and there was a laptop in it along with a can of butane.
So far, investigators haven't said if they've found answers.
The family's full statement can be read below:
"On behalf of Jeffrey (father) and Justin (brother) Sapirman. Our deepest condolences to all the families who have suffered as a result of the tragedy at the Greenwood Park Mall on Sunday, July 17, 2022. We had no reason to believe that [the gunman] would ever engage in these extreme actions. We are unable to offer any explanation for his decisions and are as shocked as the rest of the community. Our last communications with [the gunman] in the days prior were cheerful and he was looking forward to future plans. We are cooperating completely with law enforcement in efforts to provide insight into not only [the gunman's] actions, but also in the chance anything we may add could aid in preventing similar events. There are no feelings of hostility toward Mr. Dicken in doing what was right given the circumstances. We choose to remember [the gunman] as the thoughtful and intelligent young man we knew and loved. We, too, are grieving and kindly request that our privacy is respected in this difficult time."