Jump to content

Westroads Mall shooting: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Prior to the shooting: Changed AK-47 to SKS and gave accurate citation.
m →Prior to the shooting: Added second citation to SKS assertion
Line 22: Line 22:
An hour before the rampage,<ref name=ketv-mother>{{cite web |url=http://www.ketv.com/news/14843844/detail.html |title=Von Maur Shooter's Mother Says She Sensed Something Amiss |publisher=[[KETV]] |date=[[2007-12-13]] |accessdate=2007-12-14}}</ref> Hawkins' mother gave the [[Omaha Police Department]] his suicide note which stated, "I just want to take a few pieces of shit with me... I'm gonna be fuckin{{sic}} famous."<ref name=smokinggun>{{cite web| url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/1207072omaha1.html |title=Omaha Gunman Suicide Notes |publisher=[[The Smoking Gun]] |date=[[2007-12-07]] |accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref><ref name=aptran>{{cite web |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hxwegNvqlLIZhRpWG_gsPJaSsulQD8TCTFM00 |title=Transcription of Hawkins' Suicide Note |publisher=The [[Associated Press]] |date=[[2007-12-08]] |accessdate=2007-12-09}}</ref> However, neither she nor the police had any idea of Hawkins' immediate intentions.
An hour before the rampage,<ref name=ketv-mother>{{cite web |url=http://www.ketv.com/news/14843844/detail.html |title=Von Maur Shooter's Mother Says She Sensed Something Amiss |publisher=[[KETV]] |date=[[2007-12-13]] |accessdate=2007-12-14}}</ref> Hawkins' mother gave the [[Omaha Police Department]] his suicide note which stated, "I just want to take a few pieces of shit with me... I'm gonna be fuckin{{sic}} famous."<ref name=smokinggun>{{cite web| url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/1207072omaha1.html |title=Omaha Gunman Suicide Notes |publisher=[[The Smoking Gun]] |date=[[2007-12-07]] |accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref><ref name=aptran>{{cite web |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hxwegNvqlLIZhRpWG_gsPJaSsulQD8TCTFM00 |title=Transcription of Hawkins' Suicide Note |publisher=The [[Associated Press]] |date=[[2007-12-08]] |accessdate=2007-12-09}}</ref> However, neither she nor the police had any idea of Hawkins' immediate intentions.


Hawkins entered the south entrance of the Von Maur department store about 1:36 p.m. [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CST]] (19:36 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]). After walking a short distance into the store, he paused for a second, then turned around and left. Returning six minutes later through the same entrance, he proceeded directly to the elevator at his immediate right, this time with a [[SKS]] [[7.62x39mm]] [[semi-automatic rifle]]<ref>http://www.topix.net/city/omaha-ne/2007/12/update-on-westroads-mall-tragedy-december-2007</ref> stolen from his step-father's house, along with two 30-round [[magazine (firearms)|magazines]],<ref name=npr>{{cite web |url=http://wcbstv.com/national/omaha.mall.shooting.2.604089.html|title=Nebraskans Hold Vigils as Shooting Details Emerge|publisher=[[National Public Radio|NPR]]|date=[[2007-12-06]] |accessdate=2007-12-14}}</ref> concealed in a sweatshirt. He took the elevator to the top floor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/07/mall.shooter/index.html|title=Mall shooter's suicide note: 'I've just snapped'|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=[[2007-12-07]] |accessdate=2007-12-07}}</ref>
Hawkins entered the south entrance of the Von Maur department store about 1:36 p.m. [[Central Time Zone (North America)|CST]] (19:36 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]). After walking a short distance into the store, he paused for a second, then turned around and left. Returning six minutes later through the same entrance, he proceeded directly to the elevator at his immediate right, this time with a [[SKS]] [[7.62x39mm]] [[semi-automatic rifle]]<ref>http://www.topix.net/city/omaha-ne/2007/12/update-on-westroads-mall-tragedy-december-2007</ref><ref>http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/05/mall.shooting/</ref> stolen from his step-father's house, along with two 30-round [[magazine (firearms)|magazines]],<ref name=npr>{{cite web |url=http://wcbstv.com/national/omaha.mall.shooting.2.604089.html|title=Nebraskans Hold Vigils as Shooting Details Emerge|publisher=[[National Public Radio|NPR]]|date=[[2007-12-06]] |accessdate=2007-12-14}}</ref> concealed in a sweatshirt. He took the elevator to the top floor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/07/mall.shooter/index.html|title=Mall shooter's suicide note: 'I've just snapped'|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=[[2007-12-07]] |accessdate=2007-12-07}}</ref>


{| style="float:left; margin:1em 1em 1em 1em; width:18em; border: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 10px; background-color: #F5F5F5; text-align:left;"
{| style="float:left; margin:1em 1em 1em 1em; width:18em; border: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 10px; background-color: #F5F5F5; text-align:left;"

Revision as of 21:39, 17 December 2007

41°15′55.80″N 96°4′3.00″W / 41.2655000°N 96.0675000°W / 41.2655000; -96.0675000

Westroads Mall shooting
LocationOmaha, Nebraska, United States
DateWednesday, December 5, 2007
1:43pm (UTC-6)
TargetVon Maur at Westroads Mall
Attack type
Murder-suicide
WeaponsAK-47 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle[1]
Deaths9 (including the perpetrator)
Injured3[2]
PerpetratorsRobert A. Hawkins[3]

The Westroads Mall shooting was a murder-suicide that occurred on December 5, 2007 at the Von Maur department store in the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Nineteen-year-old Robert A. Hawkins killed nine people (including himself) and wounded three, two of them critically.[2] It was the deadliest shooting spree in Nebraska since the rampage of Charles Starkweather in 1958.[4]

Details

Prior to the shooting

An hour before the rampage,[5] Hawkins' mother gave the Omaha Police Department his suicide note which stated, "I just want to take a few pieces of shit with me... I'm gonna be fuckin [sic] famous."[6][7] However, neither she nor the police had any idea of Hawkins' immediate intentions.

Hawkins entered the south entrance of the Von Maur department store about 1:36 p.m. CST (19:36 UTC). After walking a short distance into the store, he paused for a second, then turned around and left. Returning six minutes later through the same entrance, he proceeded directly to the elevator at his immediate right, this time with a SKS 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle[8][9] stolen from his step-father's house, along with two 30-round magazines,[10] concealed in a sweatshirt. He took the elevator to the top floor.[11]

Mall shooting victims[12]
1. Gary Scharf, age 48, customer.
2. John McDonald, age 65, customer.
3. Angie Schuster, age 36, employee.
4. Maggie Webb, age 24, employee.
5. Janet Jorgensen, age 66, employee.
6. Diane Trent, age 53, employee.
7. Gary Joy, age 56, employee.
8. Beverly Flynn, age 47, employee.

The shooting

At approximately 1:43 p.m. CST (19:43 UTC), Robert Hawkins stepped out of the elevator on the third floor and opened fire. He killed eight people and wounded three others over the course of six minutes, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head near the customer service desk.[2][13][14] He fired more than 30 rounds, striking 11 people. Six died on the spot, one died before reaching the hospital, and another died 45 minutes after reaching the ER of another hospital.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

Omaha Police arrived at Westroads Mall about six minutes after receiving the first 911 call. During the entire 70 seconds of that first call, all the dispatcher heard was gunshots.[15] Audio tapes and transcripts of the 911 calls, along with images captured by mall security surveillance cameras, were released by the police on December 7, 2007.[16][17]

The injured

Three of the victims shot by Hawkins survived. Two who were critically injured were store employees.[18] Fred Wilson, 61, was a manager for the customer service department. He was sent to the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the upper chest. By the time he reached the ER, he had lost three-quarters of his blood and had no pulse.[19] Wilson was upgraded to stable by the following weekend, and soon after was making some attempts to communicate. The other critically wounded was customer service employee Micheale "Mickey" Oldham, 65, who was sent to Creighton University Medical Center. She sustained heavy injuries to the abdomen and back, and of the surviving victims, she suffered the worst injuries.[19][20] The third surviving victim was customer Jeff Schaffart, 34, who was treated and released at UNMC for a gunshot wound to the left arm and the pinky finger of his left hand. It was initially reported that there were five injuries, but two of those at the scene who were sent to local hospitals were sent for reasons other than being shot by Hawkins.[2]

File:Von Maur memorial.jpg
Flowers and condolences outside the entrance of Von Maur

Community reaction

Wikinews has related news:

The Von Maur corporate headquarters in Davenport, Iowa issued a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened by the horrific shooting at our Omaha store this afternoon. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragic event, as well as their families."[13] A similar statement was shown on its web site's home page.[21] Westroads Mall also stated on its web site, "Our thoughts and prayers remain with all affected by this tragedy."[22] Its home page also indicated that the mall would remain closed until the following Saturday, December 8; however, the Von Maur store, where the incident took place, will remain closed indefinitely.[21] In the days following the tragedy, the Von Maur store was thronged on all sides by flowers and signs expressing condolences, as makeshift memorials to the victims.[23]

The shooter

Robert A. Hawkins
File:Robert Hawkins.jpg
Hawkins' Papillion La Vista Senior High School yearbook photo
StatusDeceased (suicide)
OccupationUnemployed
Parent(s)Ronald Hawkins
Maribel "Molly" Rodriguez[24]

Robert A. Hawkins, 19,[25]was estranged from his parents and lived with two friends and their mother in a ranch-style house in the Quail Creek Neighborhood[18] of Bellevue, a suburb 10 miles (16 km) south of Omaha.[3] He was attending therapy sessions, taking medication and being hospitalized for depression by the time he was 6 years old. Throughout most of his life, he and his family were plagued by his psychiatric problems.[24] The day after he turned 14, he was sent to a mental health treatment center for threatening to kill his step-mother. Four months later, he became a ward of the State of Nebraska, which lasted for four years. He had undergone two psychiatric hospitalizations, and was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, mood disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and parent-child relationship problems. His extensive treatments cost the state $265,000.[26] He attended Papillion-La Vista High School and later dropped out but received a GED. Debora Maruca-Kovac, the owner of the house in which Hawkins lived, described him as "troubled".[27] She also stated that he was depressed over being fired from his job at McDonald's, reportedly for stealing $17,[28] and over separating from his girlfriend two weeks prior to the incident.[18] According to a friend of Hawkins, he had been taking antidepressants.[29] Hawkins' mother gave a presumed suicide note to the Sarpy County Sheriff's Department shortly before the shooting.[5] Previous news reports indicated that Hawkins wrote "I'm going out in style;" however, the phrase does not appear on the publicly released suicide note.[7]

Hawkins was ticketed on November 24, 2007, for suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two alcohol charges,[30] one of which was underage possession of alcohol. He was due in court for an arraignment on December 19, 2007.[18] According to local news sources, he threatened to kill a local teenager, because he thought she had stolen his CD player.[31] He was also convicted as a juvenile of a felony drug conviction[32][33] while in foster care in Omaha.[33]

The Smoking Gun released a copy of Hawkins' three-page suicide note which consisted of a note to his family, one to his friends, and his last will and testament, below which he signed his name and included his Social Security number.[6] The following day, the Hawkins family released a statement expressing their condolences for the victims.[34]

On December 13, 2007, Hawkins' mother issued a formal apology for Hawkins' actions. [35][36]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hVYXjOfGYMebpWYh7i02fTan43VQD8TGTGT80
  2. ^ a b c d "Omaha Mall, Scene Of Mass Killing, Reopens". CBS News. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b "Man opens fire at Omaha mall, killing 8". Yahoo! News. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Omaha's Deadliest Hour: 19-year-old man kills eight and himself at Westroads Mall". Omaha World Herald. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b "Von Maur Shooter's Mother Says She Sensed Something Amiss". KETV. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b "Omaha Gunman Suicide Notes". The Smoking Gun. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-08. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b "Transcription of Hawkins' Suicide Note". The Associated Press. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.topix.net/city/omaha-ne/2007/12/update-on-westroads-mall-tragedy-december-2007
  9. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/05/mall.shooting/
  10. ^ "Nebraskans Hold Vigils as Shooting Details Emerge". NPR. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Mall shooter's suicide note: 'I've just snapped'". CNN. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Computers may yield clues about mall shooter". CNN. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Gunman opens fire at Omaha mall, kills 8, self". msnbc.com. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "Nine People Killed in Mall Shooting". Action 3 News. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Omaha Massacre: Westroads Mall Shootings, Audio Of 911 Tapes Online". The Post Chronicle. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
  16. ^ "Mall Shooting 911". CNN. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
  17. ^ "New Disturbing Photos Depict Robert Hawkins In Mall, Haunting Images". The Post Chronicle. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
  18. ^ a b c d "Worst Mass Slaying In Nebraska History Claims 9: ABC: Shooter Used Assault Rifle With 2 Magazines". KETV. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ a b "Omaha mall reopens, four days after shooting rampage". The Kansas City Star. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "Gunman Kills Eight, Then Kills Himself, at Omaha Shopping Mall". Fox News. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ a b "Von Maur home page". Von Maur. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  22. ^ "Westroads Mall home page". Westroads Mall. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  23. ^ "Memorial to Mall Victims Grows". KTPM. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2007-12-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ a b "Robert Hawkins: His life a tragic tumble down". Omaha World-Herald. 2007-12-09. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "Killer's note: I'm a piece of shit. Now I'll be famous". Sydney Morning Herald. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "State official: Shooter placed in mental health facility 5 years ago". CNN. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Gunman kills 8, himself at busy Nebraska mall". Dallas Morning News. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "Nine Dead in Omaha Mall Shooting". MSNBC. 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "Shooter Remembered By Friends, Landlord". KETV. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "HHS says it did its best to treat Hawkins". Omaha World-Herald. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Friend of mall shooter's ex-girlfriend says she was threatened". Action 3 News. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Police: Omaha Mall Shooter Stepped Off Elevator, Started Firing". ABC News. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ a b "DHHS Care and Custody Timeline for Robert Hawkins" (pdf). Nebraska State Department of Health and Human Services. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ "Omaha Mall Reopens With Extra Security". The Associated Press. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2007-12-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Tearful Apology From Omaha Shooter's Mom". CBS News. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ "Mother of Mall Shooter Apologizes". AP. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Westroads_Mall_shooting&oldid=178582859"