A Nebraska man who was shot and killed Tuesday at an Omaha, Nebraska, Target store bought the AR-style rifle he opened fire in the store four days before the incident, police said.
Joseph Jones, 32, of suburban Omaha, was killed by an Omaha police officer who responded to a report of gunshots shortly before noon, police said in a statement Wednesday.
No one else was hurt. Frightened customers fled the store or hid in areas such as fitting rooms.
Jones had 13 full ammunition magazines, police said. Authorities described the weapon as an AR-15 style rifle.
An objective has not been released. The investigation is ongoing, police said in a statement Wednesday.
Police said Jones bought the weapon at a Cabela’s sporting goods store four days earlier.
He fired several rounds at the shop, police said. An Omaha police officer confronted Jones and fired his handgun, police said.
The officer who shot and killed Jones, a 20-year veteran of the police department, has been placed on paid administrative leave under department policy, police said.
Police released photos showing Jones with a rifle and a weapon on target, as well as a discarded coat and ammunition magazines on the floor.
Jones’ uncle, Larry Derksen Jr., told Omaha’s NBC affiliate WOWT that Jones had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had been in and out of hospitals in the past and had frequent episodes.
Derksen, who said he lived with Jones, told the station they didn’t know he had a gun, or else they would have taken it from him or called the police.
“I don’t think in any way, shape or form that he had any intention of going into that store and hurting anybody,” Dirksen said.
NBC News could not reach Derksen Wednesday night.