2 dead, 1 wounded in central Florida mall shooting
The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Florida (AP) — A Florida man had "several pockets full of ammunition" when he targeted his wife in a shooting Saturday morning that left two people dead at a mall food court, police said.

Jose Garcia Rodriguez, 57, of Palm Bay, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at Melbourne Square Mall, said Cmdr. Vince Pryce of Melbourne Police.

His 33-year-old wife, Ida, was hospitalized with a gunshot wound in good condition, he said.

"The survivor is the intended victim," Pryce said.

Around 100 people were in the mall preparing to open their stores for shoppers at 10 a.m. when officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots around 9:30 a.m.

"We were still hearing shots when the first officers arrived on scene," Pryce said.

Officers evacuated the mall, assisting some employees who had locked themselves in closets when they heard gunfire, Pryce said.

Another man died in the shooting. His name was not released, and Pryce said his relationship to the Garcias remained under investigation.

Three handguns were recovered from the scene. When officers found the three victims, Garcia "had several pockets full of ammunition," Pryce said.

"We believe this may stem from a domestic violence incident," he said.

Mall officials posted a statement to Facebook, saying the mall would remain closed until further notice while police continued their investigation. Pryce said authorities planned for the mall to reopen Sunday.

Local television news broadcasts showed yellow police tape stretched across a mall entrance and parking lot.

Donna Evans of Melbourne said she was in the food court when she heard gunfire about 20 feet to 25 feet (6 to 7.5 meters) away.

"We had just gotten our food to sit down by Starbucks and Chik-fil-A, and you just hear the 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,' and you just drop everything and your body just makes you run," Evans told Florida Today.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-18

Cmdr. Vince Pryce of Melbourne Police: "We believe this may stem from a domestic violence incident …."

Ya think?

Cmdr. Vince Pryce of Melbourne Police: "We believe this may stem from a domestic violence incident …."

Ya think?

Nowadays it could be provoked by anything.

Some dude wearing a T-shirt reading... Je ne suis pas Charlie.

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

Lots of gators in Florida...everybody should be armed.

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

You can't forget what you don't understand.

Is it comfy in your little black and white world?

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

Yes ban all guns, knives, batons, pepper sprays,etc for the civil population.

That will stop all crime.

Works fantastically well in the UK where the police protect all citizens and violent crimes against the person are consigned to the history books.

Good thing the shooter shot himself.

The attacker was not a muslim so it wasnt a terrorist attack but a mall shooting

First......... English usage............. was hospitalized with a gunshot wound in good condition

Clearly suicide

Florida is known as the "Gunshine State" (a play on "Sunshine State") for what seems to be good reasons. Between having the fourth largest population in the USA, "Stand Your Ground" laws, and liberal gun laws, you'd think that Florida ranked high in gun possession and gun violence in the USA. But it doesn't even compare to many other states.

Florida and the three states having the largest populations (New York, Texas, California) actually rank in the lowest quadrile of fifty states for gun possession. In terms of gun murders per 100,000 people these same four states rank in the third quadrile. Forty-six of the fifty states have "Stand Your Ground" type laws so apparently that does not affect gun ownership or gun murders.

While the USA has the highest number of civilian gun ownership ownership in the world (Thailand ranks 39th), followed by India (2nd) and China (3rd). it does not have the highest homicides by gun per 100,000 people in the world. BUT it is only exceeded by countries "South of the Border."

* http://www.wash******post.com/wp-srv/special/nation/gun-homicides-ownership/table/

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

Yes ban all guns, knives, batons, pepper sprays,etc for the civil population.

That will stop all crime.

Works fantastically well in the UK where the police protect all citizens and violent crimes against the person are consigned to the history books.

Where did I use the word "Ban". I think I mentioned "firearm control laws". Comprehension not your strong point, nevermind.

It's a bit hard for some of you but the laws I speak of have been working in Australia for well over a decade now.

I know it's hard for you guys to keep up, bit with a little bit of effort the message may penetrate.

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

You can't forget what you don't understand.

Is it comfy in your little black and white world?

Don't understand how you can't see that your own archaic laws are killing your own people.? Your right, I don't understand.

Understand how more restrictive firearm laws will reduce homicide and mass shootings on your streets? Yes, I am well aware how it works.

Hold on a second, I must be forgetting the different gravity laws you guys have over there. ?

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

You can't forget what you don't understand.

Is it comfy in your little black and white world?

Don't understand how you can't see that your own archaic laws are killing your own people.? Your right, I don't understand.

Understand how more restrictive firearm laws will reduce homicide and mass shootings on your streets? Yes, I am well aware how it works.

Hold on a second, I must be forgetting the different gravity laws you guys have over there. ?

Why do people in your part of the world think they have solutions for the rest of the world? You’re not very good at defining problems. Why do you think you know the solutions?

But, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. Let’s say you’ve defined the problem accurately. And let’s say you’ve also picked the best solution.

However, you ‘big picture’ gurus tend to leave one question unanswered: How do you get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ (current state to desired state)?

Please feel free to submit your answer directly to whomever you think gives a crap.

Stand your ground.

In this case, against your wife.

Not guilty.

Next.

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

You can't forget what you don't understand.

Is it comfy in your little black and white world?

Don't understand how you can't see that your own archaic laws are killing your own people.? Your right, I don't understand.

Understand how more restrictive firearm laws will reduce homicide and mass shootings on your streets? Yes, I am well aware how it works.

Hold on a second, I must be forgetting the different gravity laws you guys have over there. ?

Why do people in your part of the world think they have solutions for the rest of the world? Youre not very good at defining problems. Why do you think you know the solutions?

But, Ill give you the benefit of the doubt. Lets say youve defined the problem accurately. And lets say youve also picked the best solution.

However, you big picture gurus tend to leave one question unanswered: How do you get from point A to point B (current state to desired state)?

Please feel free to submit your answer directly to whomever you think gives a crap.

I'm assuming your American?

Your first question is amusing, as it's often Americans racing to the opposite side of the globe with answers to problems, or so they think. I'm sure you support that, so what makes you think that doing what the Australians did wouldn't work for the USA?

I'd be even as confident to say that there's some really intelligent people in the States that could even refine and tune what the Aussies did to come up with an even better scheme. Do something F F S.

It's not a simple case of fully banning firearms, it much more complex than that. No need to do that either, plenty of Australians still have a was to firearms, me included.

What's the other option? Stand back and do nothing while hearses full of dead women and children that were gunned down needlessly in the street roll on by?

Anyway, I wonder if the offender was licensed to carry? How easy was it for this assclown to get his hands on the weapon?

How long before the next mall shooting, must be due any day now?

Forget about Terrorism, Islamic extremists are NOT a worry, your own lot are slaughtering each other in record,numbers. ?

You seem to be prolific at making assumptions. Not a lot value-add in that.

Are you applauding the death of Americans?

An inflammatory post has been removed.

Wonder if he was licenced to carry?

Another two deaths that can be racked up to poor firearms control laws.

The USA doesn't need terrorism, it has something far far worse.....home grown too.

....that's right I keep forgetting, this is about arming ones self to protect about an imaginary looming civil war or something.

Great stuff ! ???

Yes ban all guns, knives, batons, pepper sprays,etc for the civil population.

That will stop all crime.

Works fantastically well in the UK where the police protect all citizens and violent crimes against the person are consigned to the history books.

Where did I use the word "Ban". I think I mentioned "firearm control laws". Comprehension not your strong point, nevermind.

It's a bit hard for some of you but the laws I speak of have been working in Australia for well over a decade now.

I know it's hard for you guys to keep up, bit with a little bit of effort the message may penetrate.

.

It's a bit hard for some of you but the laws I speak of have been working in Australia for well over a decade now.

Australia and America have very little in common. For one thing, you were peacefully given independence by Britain. We had to fight them to the death for it. We tried using tea at first, but in response they showed up with guns, so that's what we used, too.

For another, Australia, sadly, has no Bill of Rights for its citizens. Australians have no constitutional right to bear arms. That's entirely up to your lawmakers.

And unlike Australians, Americans will never allow anyone to take their guns. Not by legislation, nor by force, nor by any other means.

So your argument to make similar laws holds no more water than a cracked colander.

Go ahead. Make legislation in America like you made in Australia, and try to enforce it. Quite simply a lot of people will die. And in the end, the guns will still be out there. (We don't import ours, we make our own.)

Besides, didn't seem to make much difference a month ago, when that wacko took over the restaurant. Your guns, you see, are in reality, still out there, and those who wish to perpetrate such atrocities will always find them.