Nebraska Mall Shooting

[Homicidalheathen]

By Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. -- Less than an hour before he killed eight people and himself in a mall shooting spree, a troubled teenage gunman called the woman who had taken him in to tell her about a suicide note -- but she said Thursday she never thought he would hurt anyone but himself.

Debora Maruca-Kovac told CBS's "The Early Show" she found the note after Robert A. Hawkins, 19, called to thank her and her family for their help, to express his love, and to tell her he had left the note behind.

"He had said how much he loved his family and all his friends and how he was sorry he was a burden to everybody and his whole life he was a piece of (expletive) and now he'll be famous," she said, describing the note. "I was fearful that he was going to try to commit suicide but I had no idea that he would involve so many other families."

Hawkins carried out his shooting spree from the third floor of the Westroads Mall, the bullets from his rifle cutting through the sound of Christmas music as he terrorized shoppers and employees.

The shooting came after a series of troubling events in his life: He had split with his girlfriend and lost his job. He had a criminal record and had left or been kicked out of his parents' house.

Police Chief Thomas Warren said the shooting appeared to be random and that the dead included five females and four males, including the gunman.

Investigators plan to examine text messages sent between Hawkins and his girlfriend, as well as his computer's hard drive for any Internet communications that could explain how he plotted the shootings, Warren told CNN.

The names of the victims were not released, but officials planned to provide more details in a news conference Thursday morning. Churches in the area were setting up vigils to pray for survivors and remember the dead.

Hawkins moved from his family's home about a year ago. Maruca-Kovac and her husband, whose sons were friends with Hawkins, welcomed him into their home and tried to help him.

"When he first came in the house, he was introverted, a troubled young man who was like a lost pound puppy that nobody wanted," Maruca-Kovac told The Associated Press.

She told the Omaha World-Herald that the night before the shooting, Hawkins and her sons showed her an SKS semiautomatic Russian military rifle -- the same type used in the shooting. She said she thought the gun belonged to a member of Hawkins' family. She said she didn't think much of it -- the gun looked too old to work.

Records in Sarpy and Washington counties showed Hawkins had a felony drug conviction and several misdemeanor cases filed against him, including an arrest 11 days before the shooting for having alcohol as a minor. He was due in court in two weeks.

Maruca-Kovac said Hawkins had recently broken up with a girlfriend and was fired from McDonald's. She told the World-Herald that Hawkins said he had been fired after being accused of stealing $17 from his till at the restaurant. McDonald's management declined to comment to the newspaper.

Maruca-Kovac said he phoned her at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, telling her he had left a note. She tried to get him to explain.

"He said, 'It's too late,"' and hung up, she told CNN. She then called Hawkins' mother.

In the note, which was turned over to authorities, Hawkins wrote that he was "sorry for everything" and would not be a burden on his family anymore. More ominously, he wrote, "Now I'll be famous."

Maruca-Kovac went to her job as a nurse at the Nebraska Medical Center, where victims of the shooting soon began to arrive.

The first 911 call came in at 1:42 p.m., and the shooting was already over when police arrived six minutes later, authorities said.

"We sent every available officer in the city of Omaha," Sgt. Teresa Negron said.

Hawkins opened fire in a Von Maur store, part of a Midwestern chain. The World-Herald reported that the gunman had a military-style haircut and a black backpack, and wore a camouflage vest.

Mickey Vickory, who worked in the store's third-floor service department, said she heard shots and went with coworkers and customers into a back closet, emerging about a half-hour later when police shouted to come out with their hands up. As police led them to another part of the mall for safety, they saw the victims.

"We saw the bodies and we saw the blood," she said.

Keith Fidler, another Von Maur employee, said he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 more rounds. Fidler said he huddled in the corner of the men's clothing department with about a dozen other employees until police yelled to get out of the store.

Witness Shawn Vidlak said the shots sounded like a nail gun. At first he thought it was noise from construction work at the mall.

"People started screaming about gunshots," Vidlak said. "I grabbed my wife and kids. We got out of there as fast as we could."

Nebraska Medical Center spokeswoman Andrea McMaster said the hospital had three victims from the mall shooting, including Fred Wilson, 61, who was in critical condition early Thursday with a bullet wound to his chest.

Another critically wounded victim was at Creighton University Medical Center, spokeswoman Lisa Stites said.

On Wednesday night, police used a bomb robot to access a Jeep Cherokee left in the mall parking lot that authorities believe belonged to Hawkins. Officers had seen some wires under some clothing, but no bomb was found.

President Bush was in Omaha on Wednesday for a fundraiser, but left about an hour before the shooting.

"Having just visited with so many members of the community in Omaha today, the president is confident that they will pull together to comfort one another," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

The sprawling, three-level mall has more than 135 stores and restaurants. It gets 14.5 million visitors every year, according to its Web site.

It was the second mass shooting at a mall this year. In February, nine people were shot, five of them fatally, at Trolley Square mall in Salt Lake City. The gunman, 18-year-old Sulejman Talovic, was shot and killed by police.

The shooting spree was Nebraska's deadliest since January 1958, when Charles Starkweather killed 10 people in Nebraska and another in Wyoming.

[littlepinkkitty]

On the news yesterday they played a 911 call that someone made. All you could hear were gun shots. It was so disturbing. You know that people were to scared to ask for help. I had a disscussion in one of my classes about safety in america. We all started saying how there are so many places where people gather regurlarly that would be a target. I always had a fear that there would be an atttack at a concert or the mall or grocery store because there is no security at the doors. I spent time in Israel when i was younger. And most of the places there have metal detectors. Going into a mall is like going through the airport. They check your bags your pockets and make you walk through a detector....sometimes you even get the wand. Obviously that is a completly different country and americans may not approve of being checked at the door of the mall. I have always felt the mall as an easy target for people who want to hurt others.

[Destroit]

On the news yesterday they played a 911 call that someone made. All you could hear were gun shots. It was so disturbing. You know that people were to scared to ask for help. I had a disscussion in one of my classes about safety in america. We all started saying how there are so many places where people gather regurlarly that would be a target. I always had a fear that there would be an atttack at a concert or the mall or grocery store because there is no security at the doors. I spent time in Israel when i was younger. And most of the places there have metal detectors. Going into a mall is like going through the airport. They check your bags your pockets and make you walk through a detector....sometimes you even get the wand. Obviously that is a completly different country and americans may not approve of being checked at the door of the mall. I have always felt the mall as an easy target for people who want to hurt others.

Oh I know, I saw it on Fox News, they played that same 911 tape (not sure where you heard it, but it's probably been aired on all of the major news channels by now I'm guessing). It was eerie in that you know that as you're listening and rounds are being popped off that they're probably actually hitting people and ending their life. What's even more disturbing about the aired clip is that the person was calling 911, but NOT talking at all. This tells me that most likely that person was probably RIGHT by the shooter, could you imagine what they were probably feeling? It's horrible to even think about

This hit home pretty hard with my boyfriend Raven. His cousin Gram lives out in Omaha and he and his friends were ON THEIR WAY to the mall, but got in an arguement on the way there so they decided not to go. The eerieness in that is not only would they have been at the mall when it happened, they would have arrived minutes RIGHT before the shooter walked in and started killing people. It would have been crazy too because if they parked on that side and walked through that department store there, which alot of people obviously do, then it would have put them right there on the first floor right in front of the shooter. *shudders* Just creepy. I guess in that case you can't say that argueing never did any good

[ttogreh]

Charles Starkweather, 1958. Robert Hawkins, 2007.

Did the little asshole's note actually say "I'm going out in style"? Ugh.

Of course, like all of these things, I like to put perspective. In 2004, the latest WISQARS data year available, 119 people died in Nebraska from firearms. That is a death every three days or so.

For motor vehicle deaths, 283 people died. That is a death every 32 hours.

Suicide claimed 166 people.

Nebraska is a phenomenally safe state to live in.

[Destroit]

Suicide claimed 166 people.

That's the only one of those I really get. I mean if I were in Nebraska, I would probably feel like there was no other choice too

[Der Nister]

We all started saying how there are so many places where people gather regurlarly that would be a target. I always had a fear that there would be an atttack at a concert or the mall or grocery store because there is no security at the doors.

That is why I avoid large social gatherings. My attitude may have cost me some relationships in the past but I intend to survive my friends.

I've felt for a long time that always being there (where ever it may be) with large groups of people would someday be a bad idea due to the fact that this country has too many loons that want to be infamous.

And the news media isn't helping by continuosly showing photos of these deranged clowns and reading the notes they leave behind - it will only fuel more wackos to go out and do the same just to be in the news.

Mark my words - it's only gonna get worse and that is what I fear most. Not just for myself but also for my family and friends.

[n0Mad]

One thing you won't hear about on the news is a man was at the mall that day. He has a concealed weapons permit and carries his gun with him everywhere he's legally able to. As soon as the shooting started this man saw the shooter. The shooter was in range. There was nobody between the man and the shooter. There was nobody behind the shooter that could've been hit by a missed shot or an over-penetrating bullet. It was the perfect set up for this man to take out the shooter.

But he didn't. Instead, the man ran to safety and several more innocents were killed by this shooter. Lives that could have been saved if this man had only put a stop to the killing spree.

So why didn't he? Because this mall was a "Gun Free Zone". CCW permit holders are some of the most law abiding citizens in the nation so this man did what he legally had to and left his pistol at home.

And here's something else you won't hear about in the news either. Remember that mass shooting at Trolley Square in Utah earlier this year? Also a "Gun Free Zone". Media reports that a police officer eventually stopped the shooter but they fail to report that the officer was from another jurisdiction and off duty so legally he was not allowed to carry his pistol at Trolley Square. But, because the officer decided to break the law, he was able to stop the shooter before more people died.

When will legislatures learn that "Gun Free Zones" are really "Unarmed Victim Zones"?

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

Something needed to happen...it's NEBRASKA!!!!!

[Hellion]

It used to be safe going to public places,give it time some moron will shoot up an entire neighborhood,considering that has already happened.,along with church shootings.

This kind of bs makes you really want to just move to a place, where there are no humans.

[Steven]

On the news yesterday they played a 911 call that someone made. All you could hear were gun shots. It was so disturbing. You know that people were to scared to ask for help. I had a disscussion in one of my classes about safety in america. We all started saying how there are so many places where people gather regurlarly that would be a target. I always had a fear that there would be an atttack at a concert or the mall or grocery store because there is no security at the doors. I spent time in Israel when i was younger. And most of the places there have metal detectors. Going into a mall is like going through the airport. They check your bags your pockets and make you walk through a detector....sometimes you even get the wand. Obviously that is a completly different country and americans may not approve of being checked at the door of the mall. I have always felt the mall as an easy target for people who want to hurt others.

breed a generation of desperate people with little to no coping skills within a privately armed society (theres that dang right to bear arms shit again).

thin the herd every generation....keep them oh pharmecuticals, keep them beleiveing they are victoms, destroy any sense of identity, remove any sense of purpose, and overpopulate for pressure.

bake at 350 for 20 years. after enough public rampages, re-heat for awhile.

then come in seize control of everythign, for the good of the republic.

[Steven]

That is why I avoid large social gatherings. My attitude may have cost me some relationships in the past but I intend to survive my friends.

I've felt for a long time that always being there (where ever it may be) with large groups of people would someday be a bad idea due to the fact that this country has too many loons that want to be infamous.

And the news media isn't helping by continuosly showing photos of these deranged clowns and reading the notes they leave behind - it will only fuel more wackos to go out and do the same just to be in the news.

Mark my words - it's only gonna get worse and that is what I fear most. Not just for myself but also for my family and friends.

this coutry has too many loons period.

THAT is the pattern.

we love to talk about excess media coverage and gun control, thats good TV Dinner conversation.

but nobody wants to talk about how and why and where we going with the fact atht as a group - especially in terms of the youth in this country - we are losing our minds and cannot cope.

there's your trouble brutha, there it is.

you know back in the 40's you didint hear about mass shootings at the local county fair with thousands of people and every rednecks's pickup had a couple of rifles in it.

and it wasent because we had less people and less guns and no media.

somethign else was different. people were different. biologically and psychologically.

[ttogreh]

Steven, in the 1940s, a significant portion of the young male population of this country was getting perforated by Nazi bullets.

In the mid fifties, 44,000 or so young men didn't come home from Korea. In the 1960s and 1970s, 60,000 Americans didn't come home from Viet Nam.

Indeed, the 1980s, aside from some minor skirmishes in places like Grenada, or the barracks bombing in Beirut, was a period of peace. As was the 1990s, aside from a few minor wars.

Of course, these days, we seem to be having the worst possible scenario: intractable wars with a disaffected, disengaged youth.

Of course, not all of the nutters are young. I still have to contend that these things are talked about because they are rare. Do you have any idea how many young black men are statistically destined to die today? Of course you don't; it's not novel. It isn't NEWS.

[Hellion]

like whas mentioned earlier too many nut cases in this country,here is another example,just happened

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071209/ap_on_...hurch_shootings

[Steven]

Steven, in the 1940s, a significant portion of the young male population of this country was getting perforated by Nazi bullets.

In the mid fifties, 44,000 or so young men didn't come home from Korea. In the 1960s and 1970s, 60,000 Americans didn't come home from Viet Nam.

Indeed, the 1980s, aside from some minor skirmishes in places like Grenada, or the barracks bombing in Beirut, was a period of peace. As was the 1990s, aside from a few minor wars.

Of course, these days, we seem to be having the worst possible scenario: intractable wars with a disaffected, disengaged youth.

Of course, not all of the nutters are young. I still have to contend that these things are talked about because they are rare. Do you have any idea how many young black men are statistically destined to die today? Of course you don't; it's not novel. It isn't NEWS.

Dude, your talking to a minority (Mexican American) who was raised in many gang infested, violent and drug infested neighborhoods in Los Angeles and San Fransisco. Yes I DO recognize the rate of decline in human value among young (and not so young) black males, as well as Latino males (and females, lets be fair here) as well as asian males, as a growing trend, because I lived it. Add to that, the fact that we have discussed this very point your making here on DGN before. In fairness, If you ask me a question - just ask it - dont answer it for me ("of course you dont") , let me handle that part. Do you know the inner workings of a socially declining inner city minority group as it affects the family unit? I do. I know alot about whats behind the bullets. You can throw statistics at me all day if you want but it wont change my perspective, statistics are safe and non threatening and i never had that luxory, thats the wrong language to use with me.

now, for the fun part...I agree with you. sort of. statistically speaking, sort of. on the surface, sort of.

however I disagree with you that its ignored because its no longer news. its simply acceptable news, old hat, part of the gear grease. If you live in so Cal however - you learned about black on black and hispanic violence on the local news literally every single day on all of the networks. If you lived in my neighborhoods, the police helicopters flew over your apartment every nite. You went to Howard and Navarro to score cocaine and weed from even more of those blacks you are so concerned about, and you crossed over into Piru Blood territory to get there, and some fo the most viscious young men you could ever imagine used to be in your third grade class only thats longgggg gone now....and you'd better fucking know somebody or be part of the free market enterprise there to cross between point A and B.

back to my main point - and a respectful nod toward your own....yes, you are correct, youths in general (what was the average age of a dead soldier in Vietnam?? 19 or sumthing?) in the past were caught up in a huge national - no - correction - worldwide struggle against a definable enemy. I totally agree with you. But now we have a different sort of (sort of...er sort of) enemy. and we have a different sort of youth.

I actually beleive that having a national enemy (i.e. your Nazi references) that was so easily identifyable actually supports my point. Back then - there was a much less divided cause among young americans, and a much more easily recognizable sense of national pride and identity.

what do we h ave now? Anti Depressents and Emo children? In the 70's we talked about "the generation gap"....that too, was easily definable. Nowadays - we are infinitely more splintered off from one another and so much less equipped to communicate on the most basic level....we are seperatists sharing living space.

and if you were to take all fo the above soapboxing I just typed up and summerized it into one sentence I' simply say that "they dont make em like they used to.....and half of em are losing their minds by 25..."