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| Gun rampage US teen 'wanted fame' | Gun rampage US teen 'wanted fame' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A teenager who shot dead eight people in a US shopping centre before killing himself wrote in a suicide note that he wanted to be famous. | A teenager who shot dead eight people in a US shopping centre before killing himself wrote in a suicide note that he wanted to be famous. |
| Robert Hawkins, 19, from Bellevue, Nebraska, opened fire at the Westroads Mall in Omaha on Wednesday. | Robert Hawkins, 19, from Bellevue, Nebraska, opened fire at the Westroads Mall in Omaha on Wednesday. |
| A woman who took him in after he left home said he left a note saying he was sorry for everything and did not want to be a burden to anybody. | A woman who took him in after he left home said he left a note saying he was sorry for everything and did not want to be a burden to anybody. |
| Police have confirmed the existence of the note, but not its contents. | Police have confirmed the existence of the note, but not its contents. |
| Map: Westroads mall location and layout | |
| Hawkins struck as the centre was crowded with Christmas shoppers, and witnesses spoke of people screaming and scrambling to find safe shelter. | |
| Five people were wounded, two of them critically. | Five people were wounded, two of them critically. |
| In a statement, President George W Bush - who visited Omaha earlier in the day for a fundraiser - said he was "deeply saddened" by the shootings. | In a statement, President George W Bush - who visited Omaha earlier in the day for a fundraiser - said he was "deeply saddened" by the shootings. |
| Hiding | Hiding |
| The shooting took place inside the upmarket Von Maur department store at the Westroads Mall. | The shooting took place inside the upmarket Von Maur department store at the Westroads Mall. |
| Police were called at about 1400 local time (2000 GMT), after receiving a call from inside, said Sgt Teresa Negron. | Police were called at about 1400 local time (2000 GMT), after receiving a call from inside, said Sgt Teresa Negron. |
| He just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air, shooting. And then I turned and ran Witness In pictures: Omaha shootingsShooter 'had problems' | He just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air, shooting. And then I turned and ran Witness In pictures: Omaha shootingsShooter 'had problems' |
| Witnesses said the gunman fired down on shoppers from a balcony on the third floor of the Von Maur store, using what police said was an SKS rifle to shoot at random. | Witnesses said the gunman fired down on shoppers from a balcony on the third floor of the Von Maur store, using what police said was an SKS rifle to shoot at random. |
| By the time police arrived at the scene six minutes later, the shooting was over, she said. | By the time police arrived at the scene six minutes later, the shooting was over, she said. |
| Jeff Schaffart was shot in the arm as he spent his lunch break shopping with his wife, Reuters news agency reported. He said he hid in a Von Maur women's bathroom, using his tie as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. | Jeff Schaffart was shot in the arm as he spent his lunch break shopping with his wife, Reuters news agency reported. He said he hid in a Von Maur women's bathroom, using his tie as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. |
| "I was obviously very fortunate. Not a lot of people were so fortunate today," said Mr Schaffart. | "I was obviously very fortunate. Not a lot of people were so fortunate today," said Mr Schaffart. |
| US MASS SHOOTINGS IN 2007 Oct: Asa H Coon, 14, shoots four people, injuring them, at his school in Cleveland, Ohio, before killing himself.April: Cho Seung-hui , 23, shoots 32 people dead on campus of Virginia Tech university, Virginia, then kills himself. Feb: Sulejman Talovic, 18, shoots dead five people and injures four at a mall in Salt Lake City, Utah, before being killed by police. | |
| Chuck Wright was working at the mall when he heard a "pop pop" sound. | Chuck Wright was working at the mall when he heard a "pop pop" sound. |
| "A lady that I work with on the same floor, she happened to walk over to the [central atrium] and she was standing there and a gentleman walked up, and the shooter reached over the top on the third floor and shot the guy in the head." | "A lady that I work with on the same floor, she happened to walk over to the [central atrium] and she was standing there and a gentleman walked up, and the shooter reached over the top on the third floor and shot the guy in the head." |
| Another woman also described seeing the gunman on the attack. | Another woman also described seeing the gunman on the attack. |
| "I went around and then I saw the guy in the children's department," she said. | "I went around and then I saw the guy in the children's department," she said. |
| "Big tall guy, real tall and he just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air, shooting. And then I turned and ran." | "Big tall guy, real tall and he just stood there with his arm like this, his hand straight up in the air, shooting. And then I turned and ran." |
| Witnesses spoke of trying to hide as they waited for police | Witnesses spoke of trying to hide as they waited for police |
| Seven people were found dead at the scene, and another two died after being taken to a local hospital. | Seven people were found dead at the scene, and another two died after being taken to a local hospital. |
| In an e-mail to the BBC, one Omaha resident, called Julie, said that she had been in a restaurant next door to Von Maur department store when the shooting began. | In an e-mail to the BBC, one Omaha resident, called Julie, said that she had been in a restaurant next door to Von Maur department store when the shooting began. |
| "Someone came in to the restaurant and advised that someone was shooting in the mall and to get out. Everyone started to run out of the small doors in Panera [the restaurant], so we were able to get out very quickly. | "Someone came in to the restaurant and advised that someone was shooting in the mall and to get out. Everyone started to run out of the small doors in Panera [the restaurant], so we were able to get out very quickly. |
| "I heard screaming and loud shots being fired somewhere close by. I got out of the mall before the local police department arrived." | "I heard screaming and loud shots being fired somewhere close by. I got out of the mall before the local police department arrived." |
| 'Lost puppy' | 'Lost puppy' |
| Hawkins is said to have suffered from depression in the past, and recently lost his job at McDonald's and broke up with his girlfriend. | |
| He was living with a friend's family in Bellevue, an Omaha suburb. | He was living with a friend's family in Bellevue, an Omaha suburb. |
| His friend's mother, Debora Maruca Kovac, told the Associated Press news agency that when he first came to live with them, "he was introverted, a troubled young man who was like a lost pound puppy that nobody wanted". | His friend's mother, Debora Maruca Kovac, told the Associated Press news agency that when he first came to live with them, "he was introverted, a troubled young man who was like a lost pound puppy that nobody wanted". |
| She said he phoned her about 1300 on Wednesday, telling her that he had left a note for her in his bedroom. She tried to get him to explain. | She said he phoned her about 1300 on Wednesday, telling her that he had left a note for her in his bedroom. She tried to get him to explain. |
| "He said, 'It's too late'," and then hung up, she told CNN. | "He said, 'It's too late'," and then hung up, she told CNN. |
| In the note, she said, Hawkins had written that "he was sorry for everything, that he didn't want to be a burden to anybody, he loved his family, he loved all of his friends". | In the note, she said, Hawkins had written that "he was sorry for everything, that he didn't want to be a burden to anybody, he loved his family, he loved all of his friends". |
| The note went on to say he wanted to be famous, she said. | The note went on to say he wanted to be famous, she said. |
| Omaha Police Chief Thomas Warren said the shooting appeared to be "very random and without provocation". | Omaha Police Chief Thomas Warren said the shooting appeared to be "very random and without provocation". |
| "We do have a [suicide] note. I can't describe the contents of that note, but it does appear this incident was premeditated," he added. | "We do have a [suicide] note. I can't describe the contents of that note, but it does appear this incident was premeditated," he added. |
| The incident is the latest in a series of mass shootings in the US, which have reignited the debate in the US about gun ownership. | |
| The Supreme Court will consider Americans' right to bear arms early next year for the first time in nearly 70 years. | |
| OMAHA SHOOTINGS The shootings took place inside the Von Maur department store at the Westroads MallGunman Robert Hawkins began shooting from a balcony on the third floor of the central atrium before turning the gun on himselfSeven people died at the scene, a further two died later in hospital | OMAHA SHOOTINGS The shootings took place inside the Von Maur department store at the Westroads MallGunman Robert Hawkins began shooting from a balcony on the third floor of the central atrium before turning the gun on himselfSeven people died at the scene, a further two died later in hospital |
| Return to the top | Return to the top |
| Were you at or near the scene of the shooting? Send us your accounts. | Were you at or near the scene of the shooting? Send us your accounts. |
| Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |