9 Dead in Omaha Mall Shooting

Five injured; gunman left note about 'going out in style'

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 5, 2007 4:18 PM CST

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9 Dead in Omaha Mall Shooting — People walk down stairs to evacuate from the Westroads Mall after a gunman opened fire at a Von Maur store in the complex in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007. At least one person was wounded and police locked down the shopping center while they searched for the shooter. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) (Associated Press)

A gunman at an Omaha mall killed eight people, wounded five others, then killed himself, police said. Witnesses said the man pointed his gun over a third-floor railing about 2 p.m. at the busy mall and opened fire, local station WOWT-TV reports. Police identified the gunman as a 19-year-old from Bellevue, Neb., who left a suicide note saying he was "going out in style," the station reports.

"All we know was people were running and screaming down the hallway by Von Maur (a store) saying there was a shooting, and then they locked us down," said one witness. Police scanners described the shooter as man in an Army-green vest with a rifle. The shooting occurred as President Bush left Omaha after appearing at a political fund-raiser. (More Omaha mall shooting stories.)

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