MELBOURNE, Fla. — Melbourne police have identified the second victim in the fatal shooting at Melbourne Square Mall.
Police said Leonardo Coppola, 36, of West Melbourne, was trying to protect fellow employee Ida Garcia-Rodriguez when her husband followed her into the mall with a handgun and opened fire Saturday.
Jose Garcia-Rodriguez shot and killed himself after killing Coppola.
Ida Garcia-Rodriguez was injured and taken to the hospital where she was listed in good condition.
Police said Coppola tried to intervene to keep Ida Garcia-Rodriguez out of harm’s way.
The shooting happened in front of the food court area. There were about 100 people inside the mall at the time.
Coppola owned Scotto Pizza, which remained closed even though the mall returned to normal hours Sunday.
“It’s definitely very sad. You can tell it’s not the same in there right now,” said Miranda Petersen, a manager of nearby Ink Spot Tattoo. “He was a really good man.”
Flowers, candles and condolence cards adorned the counter of the pizza restaurant.
“We feel upset for the families of the victims. It’s not fair,” Petersen said.
Investigators said the violence stemmed from a domestic dispute between the married couple.
The shooting forced scores of shoppers and workers to dodge a hail of bullets.
“It was shocking. I didn’t know anything like that would happen,” said shopper Lee Shaw.
The mall was closed the rest of the day Saturday but reopened on Sunday.
It does not appear Jose Garcia-Rodriguez and his wife of 16 years were in the middle of a divorce.
Police have not given a motive for the shooting.
A neighbor told Channel 9 Ida Garcia-Rodriguez hadn’t been staying at the couple’s Palm Bay home for several weeks.
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