Eight people killed in Omaha Mall

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

A gunman has opened fire in a shopping centre in the US state of Nebraska, killing eight people before fatally shooting himself, police say.

 

A further five people were wounded - two critically - in the shooting at the Westroads Mall in Omaha.

 

Police were called to the incident at lunchtime, when the centre would have been packed with Christmas shoppers.

 

Witnesses spoke of shoppers screaming and scrambling to find safe shelter as the gunman struck.

 

In a statement, the White House said President George W Bush - who visited Omaha earlier in the day for a fundraiser - said he was "deeply saddened" by the shootings.

 

'Bleeding'

 

Police were called to the centre at about 1400 local time (2000 GMT), after receiving a call from inside, said Sgt Teresa Negron.

 

The incident is said to have taken place inside the upscale Von Maur department store, inside the shopping centre. At least some of the shots were fired from an interior balcony overlooking an atrium, police said.

 

"We heard about 35, 40 shots, and on our way we did see someone down by the escalator, bleeding," witness Jennifer Cramer told local media, according to news agency AFP.

 

Barricaded in

 

One woman said she had seen the gunman on the attack.

 

"I went around and then I saw the guy in the children's department," she said. "Big tall guy, real tall and he just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air, shooting. And then I turned and ran."

 

Several witnesses spoke of barricading themselves away in stockrooms until the police arrived.

 

One employee at the centre said she had been in the wrapping department.

 

"We heard this 'pop pop pop', and... someone came running and said 'gun!', and so we all flew in the back, way in the back of the store where they keep the cleaning supplies, and we hid back there, and then finally we heard 'Omaha police! Come out with your hands up!'"

 

In an email to the BBC, Chelsea Bartholomew told how she arrived at the shopping centre as people were fleeing the scene:

 

"Two of my friends and I were just about to enter Westroads as police began blocking off the doors. Police cars and ambulances were flocking to the scene in droves.

 

"We attempted to ask a woman exiting the mall what was going on, but she ran by us, screaming, as though we weren't even there."

 

Note

 

Sgt Negron told a news conference she could confirm nine deaths, including the gunman. She said five people had been injured, two in critical condition.

 

"We do not believe that we have any other shooter," she told reporters, according to Reuters news agency. "The person we believe to be the shooter has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound."

 

The gunman's name was not released, though local media reports, quoting police officials, say a suicide note has been found.

 

According to the Westroads Mall website, it is the largest shopping centre in Nebraska, with more than 135 shops and restaurants.

 

Mr Bush was in Omaha earlier, but he left the city before the shooting occurred.

 

"Having just visited with so many members of the community in Omaha today, the president is confident that they will pull together to comfort one another as they deal with this terrible tragedy," the White House said in a statement.

 

In an email to the BBC, Spencer Rice said he saw police cars travelling in the direction of the shopping centre after finishing lessons at the University of Nebraska.

 

"It is a tragedy anywhere, but when something like it happens in your city, near your life, it is numbing," he said.

 

Source: Probably your local news

[Nighthawk 0]

It's funny (but not ha ha funny), I was just talking about random shootings the other day. It was from talking about school shootings, I was saying "C'mon, you're there six hours a day? And it's important. If you really want to make a point about the futility of life, shoot up a burger joint, community theater, or a mall." [emphasis added]

 

That said, this was in the afternoon in the middle of the week. Nobody there but women and children, old people and employees. That's just not cool.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

He didn't even come close to the Virginia Tech record.

 

What's the point of doing it if you're not going to go for the gold?

[Mike wanna be 0]

I'm reminded of the cartoon about school shootings, accuracy and FPSes. I'm sure somebody will post it.

[Black Lushus 0]

here's the dink that did it:

 

 

Rick, from Degrassi The Next Generation...

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Looks like a typical "locked up in the basement writing bad poetry" faggot. Too bad he killed himself, as he should have suffered a little before dying.

[Black Lushus 0]

oh but he did....TEEN ANGST~!

[Jingus 0]

Who wants to start a pool on how long before someone blames video games and/or rock music for this.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Leading directly to a debate about gun control.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Well, I'll just be avoiding all the cable news channels right now, like usual.

 

VIDEO GAMES~!

ROCK MUSIC~!

MYSPACE~!

BAD POETRY~!

GUN CONTROL~!

CRIMINALS WITH GUNS RAPING YOUR KIDS IN THE NIGHT WHILE YOU'RE DEAD~!

 

There, I just saved all of you hours upon hours of mind numbing drivel from the talking heads.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

Who wants to bet he was on antidepressants?

[Lord of The Curry 0]

He looks like the drummer from Our Lady Peace.

[King Kamala 0]

Kid looks like Andy Samberg to me.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

YES YOU ARE CORRECT IT DOES

 

Count me in for "packed to the gills with psychotropic medication" as well, by the way.

[snuffbox 0]

Blame Ben Kweller.

[Guest Vitamin X]

So THAT'S what Carnival has been up to.

 

(I know, I know.. a little late, particularly after the picture was thrown up there)

[Black Lushus 0]

the kid does look a LOT like abowen, Carny's cousin, though...

 

 

!!!

[Gary Floyd 0]

here's the dink that did it:

"Hello, have I ever told you what the music of Taking Back Sunday means to me?"

[Twisted Intestine 0]

I had just watched Elephant the other day, which is a movie about a school shooting. (A real bad movie.. unless you like to watch people walk around for an hour)

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

I had just watched Elephant the other day, which is a movie about a school shooting. (A real bad movie.. unless you like to watch people walk around for an hour)

 

That's Gus Van Sant for you.

[Guest Smues]

So who gets sued first? The kids parents, the step dad he stole the gun from, the police, mall security, mall ownership, the state? My money is on mall ownership as they probably have money.

 

 

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

I made a thread about how much Elephant sucked. Ask Slayer if you want to read it.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

Haha, Elephant. Library aide never saw it comin'.

[milliondollarchamp 0]

there's really no way to prevent this from happening again

 

and if i were planning on slaughtering a bunch of people and wanted to go down in infamy, i'd hit up the santa display and all the kiddies... i know where i'm not gonna be hanging around... online shopping is better anyway, the deals are equally to die for

 

[King Kamala 0]

What the fuck happened to Van Sant after Good Will Hunting? Whatever the opposite of the Midas touch is he has it.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

McInturff says the Schiavo matter had an "anti-Midas touch." "Everyone who touched it, people lost respect for," he said.

[Twisted Intestine 0]

I made a thread about how much Elephant sucked.

 

I bumped that thread in the movie folder, since it seems to be taking over this thread.

 

 

R.I.P. 8 people killed!

 

Seriously, 35-40 shots, and he only killed 8 people? I don't understand how these killers suck so much. I'd have to figure if I was in a crowded mall, I'd kill at least 8 people too... in the first 10 seconds.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

McInturff says the Schiavo matter had an "anti-Midas touch." "Everyone who touched it, people lost respect for," he said.

 

That would make a good sig.

[Jingus 0]

Seriously, 35-40 shots, and he only killed 8 people? I don't understand how these killers suck so much. I'd have to figure if I was in a crowded mall, I'd kill at least 8 people too... in the first 10 seconds.

Well, consider that most of the people who go on the postal rampages usually aren't professional gunmen or anything. They tend to be dumb kids or civilian wallflowers who've often rarely fired a gun in their lives. People who have a lot of experience with guns and know how to use them correctly usually don't abuse that knowledge.

 

there's really no way to prevent this from happening again

That's the problem that pretty much gets ignored every time one of these things happen: in America, there's simply no good way to prevent the random kamikaze massacres. Like how one of the post-Columbine school shootings happened (forgot which one, take your pick). Remember how schools forced students to have see-thru backpacks, hired security guards, and installed metal detectors and cameras? Well, the crazed shooters just walked into the school carrying their guns, shot the security guards, and calmly strolled past the scanners and cameras.

[Slayer 0]

I made a thread about how much Elephant sucked. Ask Slayer if you want to read it.

I'm not your personal search engine!