MELBOURNE, Fla. — Police told Channel 9 that the woman who survived a shooting at the Melbourne Square Mall is cooperating with investigators.
Authorities said a man barged into the mall around 9:30 a.m. Saturday and opened fire. The gunman shot his wife, Ida Garcia, before fatally shooting another man and himself.
Garcia is recovering from surgery at Holmes Regional Medical Center.
Police said Garcia has spoken to them about the shooting that happened in the food court area. Leonardo Coppola, who investigators said was trying to move Garcia out of harm's way, was killed in the shooting.
The gunman was identified as Garcia's husband, Jose Garcia-Rodriguez. He fatally shot himself during the incident, police said.
"It's just sinking in for everybody. I'm just happy that Ida's going to be okay and the girls still have a mother," neighbor Nick Csercse said.
Coppola, who ran a restaurant at the mall's food court, is being called a hero by those who knew Garcia.
"He's a hero all by himself. It takes a lot for somebody when there's a potential bullet coming and to jump out and move somebody," Csercse said.
Melbourne police said they're still working to determine what led up to the deadly shooting, which was witnessed by dozens of shoppers.
WFTV
