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[elmono311]

LINK

National news. Happened in Westroads Mall. One of those times the pansy ass gunman couldn't face the music and killed himself. Nine people, including him, died at the Von Maur.

Good lord, I can't believe this happened. I used to live in Omaha of course and have been to that mall many many times, especially during my mom's busy time at work. She used to work at CSI (no, not Crime Scene Investigation) pretty much just down the road from Westroads (for those of you from Omaha, it was that cylindrical building) and we would meet at the Westroads food court for dinner. I hope no one I know was involved with that.

[LostArtofRolando]

Yeah, not coo.  Pretty sure my mom and brother were not there, but they havent replied since I called them...

[elmono311]

Other than to meet my mom, Westroads was probably at the bottom of the malls that I visited the most. I mostly went to Oak View (because I worked at the AMC) and Crossroads more often than Westroads. Then you have good ole lousy Southroads. Ahhh, what a pit.

[LostArtofRolando]

Ain't nuthin there but Ameritrade anymore.  Crossroads has actually had shootings before, but they were gang-related.  I mostly went to Westroads because Oakview didn't have a Hot Topic.

Mom and bro are fine... they were out ringing bells for the Salvation Army.

[elmono311]

I could have sworn Oak View had a Hot Topic because a friend of mine loved that store.

That's good news about your mom and brother... curse them and their kind for making me feel guilty when I walk by without giving money

[disnut8]

I am waiting for the authorities to release the victims names.  It's been six years since we moved from Omaha but Central States is still there in the round building (also a lower cresent shaped building).  If you stood outside the JC Penney end of Westroads and looked north and a bit east, there was the building.  We used to walk over there at lunch.  I had my hair done at JC Penney's for all the 11 years we lived there.  And, of course, there was a Disney Store there.

Not only is my former workplace right there but half of our fantasy football league owners live in the Omaha area.  And we still have family friends in the area as well.

I feel sick.

[elmono311]

LINK

What an asshole. He led a depressing life so he decided to take it out on other people before eliminating himself? Screw him.

[elmono311]

The victims' names were released

LINK

Thankfully I don't know anybody on that list

[disnut8]

There wasn't anyone on the list that I knew either, thank goodness.  I read about the guys "horrible life".  He broke up with his girlfriend and got fired from McDonald's.  So he blows eight people away and could have done more damage.  How many of us have had down times in their lives and just lived through them?  I haven't been able to find a job for over a year.  Guess I should go out and get a gun and mow down the holiday shoppers at the Mall of Georgia.  The guy was an asshole and now there's one less of them in the world.

Westroads is closed today but will reopen tomorrow.  But Von Maur is remaining closed until further notice.  It will reopen at some point and when it does, there will be a memorial service at the store in remembrance of the victims.

Some asshole reporter asked the mall management how much money they would be losing with the mall being closed today and yesterday afternoon and evening.  Thank goodness the manager said that they had a lot more loss than just monitary.

[elmono311]

I love the people who think about the money lost in situations like this. Idiots. And it's not like Westroads is a dead mall to begin with so I'm sure they have plenty on hand, plus insurance. Good call with Von Maur. I think I've been in that store once and my jaw dropped at the prices. Never went back but good for them to not think about the money and actually think about the victims.

[disnut8]

Rich and I were talking about the shootings and figured the asshole picked Westroads because Southroads has nothing in it and if he tried to shoot at Crossroads, he'd be gunned down by any number of the gangsters that like to hang out there.  Oak View was probably too far for him to drive.

[elmono311]

From another forum I read, I hear Crossroads is a dead mall now, which surprises me considering it's at one of the major intersections in Omaha. Oak View also doesn't have a three-level structure to shoot from so maybe that's why. I just know actually getting to Westroads from Bellevue is a pain in the butt compared to Oak View. The roads around Westroads are insanely... insane and confusing. Oh, and the suicidal douchebag was from Bellevue. Wonderful, isn't it?

[disnut8]

He was from Unincorporated Bellevue.  Guess some neighbors had called the police on the guy saying that he had guns.  Bellevue cops couldn't handle the complaint because it wasn't inside the city limits.  Sarpy County authorities say they never got a complaint form anyone.  The idiot also went to LaVista-Papillion High School and wasn't from the Bellevue school system.

Crossroads being a dead mall doesn't surprise me.  When I was there, no one wanted to go there after dark because of the gangs.  The stores inside went really down the toilet too.

[elmono311]

You know, this shooting BS needs to stop: LINK