Chapter 22 - "Our Doubts Are Traitors" - Part 1

[HardKor]

Here's a question that just popped into my head: Assuming the missing silenced pistol is the same weapon used to kill Pippin (and maybe Hope). Why did the shooter steal it in the first place?
As I understand the timeline, Everyone packed up to attack the mall to try and rescue Lizzie, only to find the Mallers gone. Saul and Burt went to LAX to look for a helocopter while everyone else went back to the tower...THEN Pippin showed up while Saul and Burt were at LAX. So why did the shooter steal the gun? Was there some other plan, maybe disabling thee radio, maybe something else? Because if the gun was stolen before Pippin showed up, killing him couldn't have been the primary reason for stealing it.