Officials say they can’t comment on motive behind Coral Ridge Mall shooting

CORALVILLE - Authorities said Monday they cannot comment on why Andrea Farrington was the target of Alexander Kozak's fatal attack at the Coral Ridge Mall Friday night.

'She was the target,” said Coralville Police Lt. Shane Kron. 'But no, I can't speak to the motivation (behind the attack) at this point.”

Police and Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said Alexander M. Kozak - formerly Alexander M. Winn - was working at the mall as a security officer on Friday when, for reasons that have not been disclosed by authorities, he left the mall. Police said Kozak went to his North Liberty apartment, obtained a 9 mm Glock handgun, returned to the mall and shot Farrington three times in the back. Farrington - an Iowa Children's Museum employee - had been staffing the mall information desk near the food court.

Authorities have not said why he left the mall.

'My understanding is he had not ended his shift, he just left,” Lyness said, who added she couldn't provide details on what prompted his departure. 'My understanding is he just left on his own accord.”

Kozak fled the mall after the shooting and was captured on Interstate 80 in Scott County. He was taken into custody and faces one count of first-degree murder. Kozak remains in custody on a $10 million cash bond.

In addition to questions about the motivation behind the attack, little is known about Kozak.

Last July, Kozak - then still known by Winn - obtained a non-professional permit to carry in Mitchell County, Iowa. Mitchell County Sheriff Greg Beaver said that permit has now been revoked.

'It was valid at the time of the crime, but it will be revoked (Monday),” Beaver said.

According to the permit, Kozak lived in Osage as of last July. According to his Facebook page, he married Kellie Kozak in September 2014, and police said the couple lived in North Liberty. Kozak's father-in-law, Ken Kozak of Stacyville, said Alexander changed his last name to Kozak because of his estranged relationship with his father.

A former neighbor said Kozak lived with his mother and two sisters in Osage, but the rest of the family has since moved to Texas. Suzanne Krahn, who lived down the street from Kozak - then known as Alexander Winn - and his mother, Cyndy McComas, described the family as friendly.

'Very pleasant,” Krahn said. 'Really, very pleasant. A typical family.”

Krahn said McComas 'had good control of her kids.”

'They listened, they were mindful,” Krahn said. 'They were the kind of neighbors you'd like to have next door.”

Osage Police Department Lt. Jeremiah Johnson said officers never had any contact with Winn or the rest of his family in the time they lived in Osage.

'I know he graduated from Osage,” Johnson said Monday. 'From there, I'm not sure.”

According to the Mitchell County Press-News, Kozak was a 2011 graduate of Osage High School, where he participated in chorus. His plans for after high school included working at McDonalds and attending community college.

Osage Community Schools officials, however, would not confirm Winn attended the school.

'I can't confirm or deny,” said Osage High School principal Tim Hejhal before quickly hanging up.

Kozak's LinkedIn page, which still identifies him as Alex Winn, lists his only employment as a self-employed bail bondsman.

Kron said mall security officers are there to 'observe and report” and serve as an additional set of eyes and ears for the police department. They do not carry firearms and cannot make arrests.

'We work with them quite a bit,” he said. 'They have handled a lot of calls out there.”

Firearms are not permitted at the Coral Ridge Mall.

An interview request with the mall's security director was referred to mall management. Coral Ridge Mall general manager Monica Nadeau did not return messages seeking comment on Monday.

Kozak does not have a criminal history under his current or former names. Court records show he received a traffic citation in Mitchell County in 2012.

First-degree murder is a Class A felony punishable by life in prison.