Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Gunman Kills Eight, Then Himself, at Omaha Shopping Mall

OMAHA, Neb. — BREAKING NEWS: A man with a rifle opened fire at a busy Omaha shopping mall Wednesday, killing eight people before taking his own life, police said. Five others were wounded, two critically.

The killer has been identified as Robert A. Hawkins, age 19 or 20, who left a suicide note stating, "I'm going out in style" and "I'm going to be famous." The man's vehicle was reportedly found in the parking lot.

Hawkins' mother brought the note to the local sheriff's office. She was being questioned by investigators Wednesday night.

Sgt. Teresa Negron said the gunman killed eight people, then apparently killed himself. Authorities gave no motive for the attack and did not know whether he said anything during the rampage.

Friends described Hawkins as "depressed" and said he had quit school several years ago and worked at a series of fast food jobs. He was arrested last month on misdemeanor charges and was expected to appear in court this month.

Officials said Hawkins, clad in military-style clothing, entered the mall just before 2 p.m. Wednesday and began firing off rounds. The rampage sent shoppers and employees running and screaming through the Westroads Mall, barricading themselves in dressing rooms after hearing gunfire. Hawkins was found dead on the third floor of the Von Maur store with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his victims were discovered on the second and third floors, police said."

Sick bastard. And of course the mall was a Victims-Herded-Here Zone that banned firearms. Maybe now they'll put up bigger signs. Thats gotta be it. The killer simply didn't see the NO-GUNS-ALLOWED notice.

I await the gun-grabber response with bated breath.

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