Omaha Gunman's Note: "Now I'll Be Famous"

8 Killed, 5 Hurt In Mall Slaying; 19-Year-Old Shooter Kills Self, Left Suicide Letter

(CBS/AP)  The teenager carried his rifle into the mall, passing shoppers and decorations.

A department store employee was pressing a suit for a customer. A woman was making a quick stop to buy Christmas presents before picking up her son from school. Christmas music played.

The gunman stopped on the third floor and cut through the sounds with gunfire. Shoppers and employees at the Westroads Mall scrambled for cover in dressing rooms, clothing racks, offices and storage areas.

He appeared to fire without apparent motive or specific targets, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

Eight people were killed and five wounded before the shooter ended the horror by taking his own life. He left behind a note that read, in part, "Now I'll be famous."

The victims' names were given at a press conference Thursday by Omaha Police Chief Thomas Warren. The victims are aged 24 to 66, employees as well as customers, 5 females and four males deceased, including the suspect, Robert Hawkins.

The deceased include Gary Scharf, 48, of Lincoln, Neb, a customer, John McDonald, 65, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, a customer, Angie Schuster, 36, an employee, Maggie Webb, 24, an employee, Janet Jorgenen, 66, an employee, Diane Trent, 53, an employee, Gary Joy, 56, an employee and Becky Flynn, 47, an employee.

Omaha mayor Mike Fahey offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

"There are no words to adequately express our feelings this morning," Fahey said.

"I saw employees taking a bunch of people into the dressing room, but I didn't want to go," shopper Jennifer Kramer told CBS' The Early Show. "I didn't know if this guy was going to come looking for people in dressing rooms, so we hid in a pants rack towards the back of the men's department."

Robert A. Hawkins, 19, had a criminal record and had been kicked out of his parents' house. Police have not said anything about the motive, but Hawkins had suffered a string of setbacks over the past year.

A family friend said he recently broke up with a girlfriend and got fired, and a source told CBS News affiliate KMTV-TV he tried, but failed, to get into the Army.

Hawkins was kicked out by his family about a year ago. He moved in with a friend's family, and Debora Maruca-Kovac and her husband welcomed him into their home and tried to help him.

"He came to us like a little lost puppy. He was always very sensitive and caring, always wanting to know how everybody was doing," Maruca-Kovac told The Early Show. "He just needed a chance to get on his feet."

"We never saw violence in him," she said.

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 was fired from his job at a McDonald's this week and had recently broken up with a girlfriend. She 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.

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

"I was fearful that he was going to try to commit suicide," she told The Early Show. "But I had no idea that he would involve so many other families."

"I feel so sorry for him, that he was so lost and alone that he had to resort to this."

[kindrox]

* We as a nation must stop this violatce. *

Lots of people say this and I never can figgure out what the hell they actually mean. I mean really, just about all violence is committed because someone WANTS something, and someone else does not want to give it.

Examples. A man wants to CONTROL a woman and she resists. So he uses VIOLENCE to get his way.

A person wants money he did not earn, and he uses VIOLENCE to get his way.

Someone wants to control the territory he sells drugs in, and keep other sellers out. So he uses VIOLENCE to get his way.

Even this kid wanted something, to be a big somebody in a society where not everyone can be a big somebody. So he used VIOLENCE to get his "somebody" status.

So just how do you propose to stop violence???

[gunownerdan]

Most shopping malls and schools in America are "gun free" zones. Most mass shootings seem to happen in these "gun free" zones.
Why?
Because killers prefer unarmed victims.
Relying on the police for protection only works if you''re rich or you''re a politician.
Being trained and prepared to protect yourself is much better than having to call 911 because when seconds count the police are only minutes away.
www.a-human-right.com

[gunownerdan]

Omaha Gunman''s Note: "Now I''ll Be Famous"

CBS sure is doing its part to make it happen.

[michellem99-2009]

I am mindful yer lost 8 in that mall shooting and why is it happening as yer know malls are targets for the sickos bent on taking others out with his/her. Is it greed that drive them to do this or what. I don''t care if the mall opens or not. LET THE FOLKS HEAL. We as a nation must stop this violatce.

[horse3farm]

And now the police spend our tax dollars investigating. For what? If he planned it, or didn''t, what good does investigating do? You can''t prevent something like this. One thing he knew...the media will definitely make him famous. That''s what makes me sick.

My heart goes out to those suffering.

[omahachic]

FYI...The mall was closed Thursday and is closed Friday as well. The shootings happened at approx. 2pm on Wednesday so therefore the mall will be closed over 48 hrs. It may be closed over the weekend as well. I just thought I''d verify that for you all. Some heartless moron on here is so concerned about the floor being mopped up and the mall reopening within 48hrs. Get a life! There is a city mourning the loss of 8 people and praying for the other 5 shooting victims, two of which are still in critical condition. Quit talking smack about Omaha and be supportive and pray for us. There are families dealing with unexpected losses and lots of witnesses that are traumatized by this massacre. Please give us respect at this time of sorrow. The people of Omaha have always been there to help out (rather it be financially, in prayer, or physical work) when this happens elsewhere so please be there for us during this sad, sad time. Quit worrying about who to blame and let the professionals figure that out. Thank you and God Bless!

[yhwh4u]

Good point libsluvsuvs, the letter of the law is not capable of deciphering the intricacies of the human soul, Don''t bank on them! Although the media''s motive is financial, it''s a lack of rightoues conviction that keeps them from pressing on for the truth, it''s up to us! We must not rely on the media for direction! The young liberal masses need stronger leadership so that they don''t embrace the fallacies of the libbral media. We the people are burdened with the responsibility of providing for them! Not commercial enterprise.

[incog-nito]

libsluvsuvs: What are you babbling about? To you people everything, EVERYTHING, that happens is somehow linked to some mythical "liberals", isn''t it? In every piece of news, every article, you come out of the woodwork to proclaim that it''s the "libs''" fault. Maybe you should put down the Ann Coulter books once in a while.

[libsluvsuvs]

our judicial system is to weak to handle this situation..the media is too greedy to make a lesson out of this..the YOUNG liberal masses sees hope from this..

TRAGIC!!!!!!!!!!

[tibu987]

"Infamous" is more like it.
But, I am sure that he not only did not know the definition of that, or the legacy he leaves to all concerned.
So sad for those innocents at the mall.

[yhwh4u]

Kennesaw, Georgia... at 2% they have the lowest crime rate in the nation. Can anyone guess why? No Rape crimes, no burglaries. They are the only county in the Nation that rquires all it''s residents (by law) to carry a fire arm. Is this the answer to America''s problems? Hardly. Perhaps olebd hit the nail on the head! As every year passes we see moral decadence on the rise, a lost and self serving society in the making, obtusive teens with little to no direction and purpose in their lives, and with the melange of influences they face today... no wonder we face the callenges we do! olebd Perhaps you should consider religion! Your righteous conviction say''s alot.

[toolmangler-2009]

What I dont understand is, how did he make it in and all the way to the third floor in camo and holding a gun? I mean how would he hide a rifle? Did no one see that as odd?

Posted by Thursday24 at 05:00 PM : Dec 06, 2007



If I saw some dude in military looking Camouflage carrying a rifle, I would be curious but not frightened. That is the way most people are,
We aren''t use to people killing everyday in the same areas like they do in the Mid East.

[5HwnBoys]

Another example of moral decay in todays society. Seems like this guy had severe inferiority issues and lack of attention and probably needed a loving mom and dad. Another good reason for those who don''t want kids not to have them and abstain. As we have and continue to see ONLY THEIR CHILDREN AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS SUFFER (that is if not themselves get hurt by their own children. My sympathy goes out to all the families who''ve suffered from his heinous acts and lost loved ones due to his inept upbringing. HIS PARENTS NEED TO REALIZE WHAT THEY''VE CREATED.

[rbailey31]

SO YOUNG,,SEEMED SO LOST,,WHAT A SHAME 4 BOTH FAMLIES. MAY GOD 4-GIVE US ALL !!!!

[michellem99-2009]

Yer the ones buying them violate visual games,in yer face music,watch violate TV shows..that yer ask why. Send the young off to war. Allow gangs,sll the behaviour ye got.

[jowand]

So that''''s why there is so many social problems in America.

Posted by khalic at 05:08 PM : Dec 06, 2007

You have car bombers, throat slitters, stone women and 35 percent unemployement.

[olebd]

I just have to say again that it sure feels like our society is morally empty. This younger generation needs to take a breather from the violent video games, movies, music, etc.

I don''t consider myself to be religious at all but I do remember my parents telling me I would go straight to H-e-l-l if I killed myself. I also have felt guilt and shame before over treating somebody wrong or for behaving in a way that was not approved by my parents. I don''t know if anyone under 25 feels a responsibilty to do right and treat others right anymore. It''s as if we have somehow turned a lot (not all) of them into self-centered, self-serving brats. Or could their behavior be a product of what they have witnessed?

I believe it''s time for our best and brightest in Sociology to do some in-depth studies and find out exactly why this behavior is happening and how it can be stopped.

[reporting1]

Hey, A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words:
www.poconocommunitynews.com

[michellem99-2009]

I will yer why the issue of violance is not dealt with or stopped. It is Money and greed. In this natiom we have sep of chruch and state. That cr@p sells. I am a left hander and the muslins hate us so don''t tell us to read yer book as I am legally blind.

[krenz4]

Khalic,
You crack me up! Dont you mean to say pick up the
quaran AND a Kalishnikov? muslims are a joke and the world knows it huh? At least he killed a bunch of strangers, You folks are known for your sister,daughter, mother..bretheren killin ways.You can murder and not even leave the House! Hey, I bet you wrote that post sitting in a nice cozy western country, maybe even America, away from the ********* you muslims might call home, HuH? I guess that in your eyes, he is satan cause he didnt strap on a bomb and blow up his own neighbors huh? You sound like every other " my family cant live there any more cause its too dangerous, let me get my green card, and emigrate so I can have a real life, so called muslim" I know. Either that, or you are a complete fake. Americans are not pigs. We are a generous and free society, which is good for you since you seem to take advantage of the free speech portion of our constitution. In my new estimation, Muslims are pigs, but thats another post for another board. but just for now, this discussion is not about you, or your ''people'', its about American society for those and by those who know about it so save your finger shaking bull for the "teddy bear'' boards.