Police Identify Shooting Victim In Melbourne Mall Shooting
By Space Coast Daily // January 19, 2015
Leonardo Coppola killed by Jose Garcia Rodriguez
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Leonardo Coppola of West Melbourne has been identified by the Melbourne Police Department as the dead male shooting victim in the incident at the Melbourne Square Mall on Saturday morning.
Coppola, 36, of West Melbourne, owned a restaurant in the food court of the mall where the shooting occurred.
According to police, Coppola was shot and killed by Jose Garcia Rodriguez, 57, of Palm Bay, as he tried to stop Rodriguez from shooting his wife, Ida Garcia, who is listed in good condition at the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound.
According to Rodriguez’s Facebook page, he was married to Garcia for 16 years and investigators believe a domestic dispute may have lead to shooting his estranged wife.
The shooting happened around 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning at the mall located at 1770 West New Haven Avenue.
According to police, Rodriguez shot Garcia and killed Coppola before shooting himself dead.
Melbourne Square mall reopened on schedule at 12 noon Sunday after being locked down on Saturday as the police conducted their investigation.
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