BOISE, Idaho — Following the fatal shooting at Boise Towne Square on Monday afternoon, the Boise Police Department (BPD) Chief Ryan Lee provided an update and preliminary information from their investigation into the shooting.
During the press conference, Lee revealed that BPD had prior contact with the suspect but never arrested him.
Three people, including the suspect, died as a result of the shooting. Three other people and a Boise police officer suffered from non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.
The suspect, who has been identified as 27-year-old Jacob Bergquist, died on Tuesday at a local hospital. The other two victims have been identified as 26-year-old Jo Acker of Caldwell and 49-year-old Robert Padilla Arguelles of Rupert.
The victims' cause of death has not been released by the Ada County Coroner.
Two of the other victims were identified as a 52-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman, according to police. Both women were reportedly injured while inside a store and are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
"My hearts go out to the families of Jo Acker and Robert Padilla," Lee said during Tuesday's press conference. "I can only imagine the grief the family is going through and the unexpected nature of this tragedy. My heart goes out to any of those that were directly affected and the family members of those directly affected."
A 68-year-old woman was also shot and injured while she was inside her car. Her injuries are also non-life-threatening, according to police.
Lee said the investigation is still in very early stages and added that BPD has been working with local, state and federal partners to process the crime scene.
Boise Towne Square is under mall management, who will reopen the mall Wednesday at noon.
Police have not yet determined Bergquist's motivation behind the shooting, but Lee said they are looking through his social media accounts and other digital property in hopes of understanding why Monday's shooting happened.
Police executed a search warrant at a home on Fry Street in relation to the investigation on Tuesday. Items of interest have been taken from there, according to Lee.
Boise police are conducting a multi-state effort to learn more about the suspect and is working with law enforcement partners "to investigate rumors and reports from social media."
Lee said all evidence indicates Bergquist acted alone. He also addressed claims that Bergquist made violent threats online prior to the shooting, stating police have heard similar rumors.
"Part of what we're doing is to capture all of [Bergquist's] electronic footprint and his social media. We've issued preservation orders to ensure that that information remains, that it's intact for us to analyze," Lee said. "We're going through to see whether or not that is fact or rumor at this time."
While Bergquist's electronic footprint is not known to police at this time, Lee did reveal police made contact with him in the past. However, he said police never arrested him.
"We had had contact with him in the past," Lee said. "We did not have any reason to arrest him. He was a known subject. He was the subject of other police reports."
Lee also said security at Boise Towne Square had contacted Bergquist multiple times in the past.