Mall Massacre Update
Nine people are dead after 19 year old Robert Hawkins opened fire Wednesday afternoon in the middle of Von Maur in Omaha's Westroads mall. Five others are seriously injured.
According to Omaha police, Hawkins entered the store, Von Maur, and surveyed the area before returning six minutes later concealing what is believed to be the weapon he used to open fire.
The weapon used in the shooting is now being described by police as an AK-47 that came from suspect's stepfather's home.
Omaha Police Chief, Thomas Warren, says Hawkins entered the store on the second level and went to the foyer area of the store, took the elevator to the third floor and started firing as soon as he got off the elevator. Hawkins then went to the customer service area, shot several people and then killed himself. Warren says the shooting had ended by the time police arrived on the scene.
Surveillance video and the 911 calls will be made public once police have finished investigating.
The Westroads Mall will remain closed today.
Those who were killed in yesterday's shooting include two customers and six Von Maur employees.
The customers killed were 48 year old Gary Scharf of Lincoln and 66 year old John Macdonald.
Employees killed were Angie Shuster, 35, Maggie Webb, 24, Janet Jorgenson, 66, Diane Trent, 55, Gary Joy, 56, and Beverly Flynn, 47.
Those injured in the shooting were Fred Wilson, 61, Michelle Oldham, 65, Jeff Schaffert, 34, and Brad Stafford, 55. The name of the fifth person injured has not yet been released.
Governor Dave Heineman has issued an order for all U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff immediately in honor of those killed.
Authorities are still investigating what motivated Hawkins to carry out the rampage. This shooting spree has been Nebraska's deadliest since January of 1958 when Charles Starkweather killed 10 people in Nebraska and another in Wyoming.
A suicide note from Hawkins was found in the home where he lived by the woman who owns the house, Debora Maruca. According to Maruca, Hawkins had called her before the shooting apologizing to her for everything. The note said that Hawkins had been a piece of —- all of
his life but after Wednesday, he would be famous.
