Nine dead in Nebraska mall shooting
A man walked into a shopping center in Omaha today and opened fire with a long gun in an attack that left nine people dead, including the shooter dead, and at least five others wounded, police said.
Sgt. Teresa Negron, a police spokeswoman, told a nationally televised news conference that the shooter was dead of self-inflicted wounds. He shot the eight others, apparently with a rifle, she said.
There was no indication of the motive.
The incident began in the early afternoon at the Westroads Mall, which was secured about two hours after the attack began in the early afternoon. The mall is expected to remain closed until Thursday, Negron said.
Five people were taken to hospitals, which reported that two were in critical condition, Negron said.
The holiday-season attack threw the shopping center into chaos. The center was immediately shut down as police searched the more than 130 stores in the mall.
Shoppers and employees were seen leaving the building, their hands raised over their heads to show they were not carrying weapons.
The scene was very confused but witnesses said they saw a man carrying a long gun enter the mall and go to the third floor. There, he opened fire.
Five or six shots were fired initially, mall worker Francisco Barajas told local television reporters.
“I dropped to the floor,” Barajas said. He said he then heard a second burst of gunfire, perhaps more than a dozen shots.
Employees took cover where they could, said Charles Wright, who also works at the mall.
One employee, who identified herself as Karen Bitterman, said she and others took shelter in storage areas, where they waited until police arrived.
Another employee, who was interviewed by WOWT-TV, explained how the gunman took his position. He said he saw him from inside his store.
“I knew enough to stand up,” he said. “As I backed off I heard bang, bang, bang. I probably heard 10 to 15 shots.
He said he too hid in a storage room. He said he was there for at least 20 minutes.
“I heard loud voices and there was a police officer. He looked at me and said: ‘Hands up, Come to me.’ I did and the cop said run.
“So I went down the escalator, past three or four officers with their guns out.”
Related posts
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment