Eight shot dead in Nebraska

[SeanSouth]

Eight killed in Nebraska shooting 

Police have sealed off the Westroads Mall shopping centre
At least eight people have been killed after a gunman opened fire in a shopping centre in the US state of Nebraska, police say.
A further five people were said to have been wounded in the shooting, at the Westroads Mall in Omaha.

There were reports that the gunman had turned the gun on himself, though this was not confirmed by police.

Police sealed the exits and emergency workers were seen ferrying stretchers into the building.

Customers hid

There have been differing accounts of the incident.

According to one report, the gunman shot people at random from a balcony in the shopping centre.

Others said the shooting appeared to have taken place in the Von Maur department store.

Keith Fidler, a Von Maur employee, said he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 more shots.

A worker from another shop said customers and employees were huddled in a storeroom.

"All we know was people were running and screaming down the hallway by Von Maur saying there was a shooting, and then [police] locked us down," she said.

Earlier in the day, President George W Bush had been in Omaha for a fundraiser, but he left the city before the shooting occurred.

[under the bar]

And GW wants the world to be more like the American way of life.  God forbid.

[J70]

And GW wants the world to be more like the American way of life.  God forbid.

In my experience, there isn't much difference between life in the US and life in Ireland. Granted, the average Irish psychopath with a grudge against his employer or his classmates doesn't find it so easy to get their hands on guns, but these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population. The possibility of getting shot by a lunatic at the mall is not something that keeps me awake at night.

[Puckoon]

9 dead and 5 injured according to the sensationalized news reports this evening. Gunman reportedly left a note with his mother claiming wanting to go out in style.

Another sad waste of life - these will become more and more commonplace.

[Zapatista]

"these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population"

Are they rare compared to the population of Europe?

[under the bar]

"these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population"

You only hear about the shootings over here when they involve white kids/people getting killed.   Wen it happens in black or hispanic neighbourhoods this stuff barely goes national never mind international.

[his holiness nb]

Thats how the media works, if it happens in the USA or UK its more important.

How many african or asian kids have been snatched since Maddie McCann? Yet dont get a mention?

That said its a terrible thing and RIP to all the dead.

[J70]

"these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population"

Are they rare compared to the population of Europe?

They're rare everywhere. Yes, they don't happen as much in Europe (although there was one in Finland a couple of weeks back), but that still doesn't make it a common everyday event, typical of life in America, and what will happen if the world adopts a more "American way of life".

[J70]

"these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population"

You only hear about the shootings over here when they involve white kids/people getting killed.   Wen it happens in black or hispanic neighbourhoods this stuff barely goes national never mind international.

It seems to be a mostly white phenomenon, at least in the states. Black/hispanic gang crimes are met with a shrug, the same as gang crime in Ireland.

[mannix]

Its tough in America, guns are easily gotten and people are easily pissed off and ready to explode in a second. A recipe for disaster.
I am glad I am finished with the place, too much bullshit for mere mortals to deal with.
God bless this and freedom that, they actually believe the hype and its frightening.

[Niall Quinn]

"these events are pretty rare, given the size of the US and its population"

Are they rare compared to the population of Europe?

All sorts of comparative stats are published, which can be used to support almost any argumentative stance you wish to take:

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita

[Gnevin]

Sad news from state side again when will America love affair with the Gun end ?

[J70]

Sad news from state side again when will America love affair with the Gun end ?

It won't. A lot of Americans are fanatical about the right to own guns. Charlton Heston spoke for many when he said "From my cold  dead hands!"

[deiseach]

J70 has a point. It's a bit like buying two lottery tickets rather than one. On one measure, you've doubled your chances of success. On another, you've now got two chances out of however million of winning rather than one. The death rate by shooting in America seems like a high price to pay for the Second Amendment, but it doesn't mean the average American is significantly more fearful than the average European.

[Puckoon]

Sad news from state side again when will America love affair with the Gun end ?

It won't. A lot of Americans are fanatical about the right to own guns. Charlton Heston spoke for many when he said "From my cold  dead hands!"

One american friend summed it up for me after the Virginia tech massacre (where the gunman had a receipt for a glock in his backpack)

"It would be great if there were no guns in America, but as long as theres a possibility some f**king lunatic that might break into my house will be carrying a gun - so will I".