Jimcs50
12-05-2007, 05:08 PM
Up to 5 reported dead; others hospitalized; mall temporarily locked down
Video
Shooting at Omaha mall
Dec. 5: As many as five people have been shot in a possible sniper attack at a mall in Omaha, Neb., according to WOWT-TV.
MSNBC
BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC staff and news service reports
updated 4:06 p.m. CT, Wed., Dec. 5, 2007
OMAHA, Neb. - A sniper opened fire at a busy Omaha mall, killing a woman, shooting at least four others and then killing himself, local media reported.
The casualty count varied. The Omaha World-Herald reported that at least five people are dead and about a dozen wounded after the shooting. There was no way to immediately reconcile the difference.
Witnesses told NBC affiliate WOWT-TV that the shooter pointed a gun over a third-floor railing at Westroads Mall and opened fire, killing a woman near him. He then shot and killed himself, the station reported. Police locked the mall down in the aftermath.
A man was found dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot at the Von Maur department store customer service desk, WOWT-TV reported. It was suspected that he was the gunman, though police officials have not confirmed this.
At least six people including the gunman were shot, one in the head, and at least three were taken to local trauma centers. A 61-year-old man was in surgery in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, WOWT-TV reported. Two other people were being treated at trauma centers for less serious injuries. There was no immediate word on their conditions.
A Von Maur employee said he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 shots. Witnesses said the shooter appeared to be firing randomly.
Witnesses describe arrests
Two people were arrested at the mall's bus stop, WOWT-TV said. It was unclear if these arrests were related to the shootings.
KETV-TV reported that a viewer-submitted photo showed police surrounding a man in handcuffs fitting a description of the suspect. KETV-TV reported that the man in fatigues was found under a bus bench.
A description of the shooter, broadcast over scanners, was that he was wearing an Army-green vest and was holding a rifle. It was unclear if the man seen in the photo was the shooter, and police did not confirm the arrest.
‘They locked us down’
A woman who answered the phone at an Old Navy store said earlier that 20 to 30 customers were huddled with employees in a back storeroom.
"All we know was people were running and screaming down the hallway by Von Maur saying there was a shooting, and then they locked us down," said the woman, who said her name was Heidi.
A Westroads kiosk worker, who identified herself as Kathy, told KETV-TV that she heard three "pops." She said a Bath and Body Works manager approached her and told her to get out of the mall hallway, as there was a shooting, and the assailant had not been located.
Police were allowing some people to leave the mall, but no one was permitted to enter. Around 2:30 p.m., dozens of shoppers and employees left the mall with hands above their heads.
WOWT-TV reported that authorities removed what officials described as a live grenade from the mall’s parking lot Friday night. The circumstances of the case are under investigation. There was no indication that incident was related to Wednesday's shootings.
The shooting apparently happened as President Bush was leaving Omaha, where he attended a fundraiser for Republican Senate candidate Mike Johanns.
More from msnbc.com
Video
Shooting at Omaha mall
Dec. 5: As many as five people have been shot in a possible sniper attack at a mall in Omaha, Neb., according to WOWT-TV.
MSNBC
BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC staff and news service reports
updated 4:06 p.m. CT, Wed., Dec. 5, 2007
OMAHA, Neb. - A sniper opened fire at a busy Omaha mall, killing a woman, shooting at least four others and then killing himself, local media reported.
The casualty count varied. The Omaha World-Herald reported that at least five people are dead and about a dozen wounded after the shooting. There was no way to immediately reconcile the difference.
Witnesses told NBC affiliate WOWT-TV that the shooter pointed a gun over a third-floor railing at Westroads Mall and opened fire, killing a woman near him. He then shot and killed himself, the station reported. Police locked the mall down in the aftermath.
A man was found dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot at the Von Maur department store customer service desk, WOWT-TV reported. It was suspected that he was the gunman, though police officials have not confirmed this.
At least six people including the gunman were shot, one in the head, and at least three were taken to local trauma centers. A 61-year-old man was in surgery in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, WOWT-TV reported. Two other people were being treated at trauma centers for less serious injuries. There was no immediate word on their conditions.
A Von Maur employee said he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 shots. Witnesses said the shooter appeared to be firing randomly.
Witnesses describe arrests
Two people were arrested at the mall's bus stop, WOWT-TV said. It was unclear if these arrests were related to the shootings.
KETV-TV reported that a viewer-submitted photo showed police surrounding a man in handcuffs fitting a description of the suspect. KETV-TV reported that the man in fatigues was found under a bus bench.
A description of the shooter, broadcast over scanners, was that he was wearing an Army-green vest and was holding a rifle. It was unclear if the man seen in the photo was the shooter, and police did not confirm the arrest.
‘They locked us down’
A woman who answered the phone at an Old Navy store said earlier that 20 to 30 customers were huddled with employees in a back storeroom.
"All we know was people were running and screaming down the hallway by Von Maur saying there was a shooting, and then they locked us down," said the woman, who said her name was Heidi.
A Westroads kiosk worker, who identified herself as Kathy, told KETV-TV that she heard three "pops." She said a Bath and Body Works manager approached her and told her to get out of the mall hallway, as there was a shooting, and the assailant had not been located.
Police were allowing some people to leave the mall, but no one was permitted to enter. Around 2:30 p.m., dozens of shoppers and employees left the mall with hands above their heads.
WOWT-TV reported that authorities removed what officials described as a live grenade from the mall’s parking lot Friday night. The circumstances of the case are under investigation. There was no indication that incident was related to Wednesday's shootings.
The shooting apparently happened as President Bush was leaving Omaha, where he attended a fundraiser for Republican Senate candidate Mike Johanns.
More from msnbc.com