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The '''Trolley Square shooting''' was a ] that occurred on ], ], at ] in ], ]. The shooting resulted in the deaths of five bystanders and the shooter himself, as well as the wounding of at least four others. The killer's massacre was fatally halted by five police officers, including one off-duty officer who had been at a restaurant with his wife prior to the shooting. The '''Trolley Square shooting''' was a ] that occurred on ], ], at ] in ], ]. The shooting resulted in the deaths of five bystanders and the shooter himself, as well as the wounding of at least four others. The killer's massacre was fatally halted by five police officers, including one off-duty officer who had been at a restaurant with his wife prior to the shooting.


The gunman, ], was an eighteen-year-old ] immigrant. He had a history of minor juvenile incidents, had dropped out of high school<ref name="Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/national/main2466711.shtml|title=Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> and had been living in Salt Lake City with his mother.<ref name="Killer identified as 18-year-old Sulejmen Talovic">{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5218570|title=Killer identified as 18-year-old Sulejmen Talovic|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> The gunman, ''']''', was an eighteen-year-old ] immigrant. He had a history of minor juvenile incidents, had dropped out of high school<ref name="Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/national/main2466711.shtml|title=Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> and had been living in Salt Lake City with his mother.


==Timeline== ==Timeline==
Line 34: Line 34:
|accessdate=2007-07-01 |accessdate=2007-07-01
}}</ref> }}</ref>

It is unclear what ] to commit the killings.


==Victims== ==Victims==
Line 50: Line 48:
*Stacy Hanson, 53 *Stacy Hanson, 53
*Alan "A.J." Walker, 16 (son of Jeffery Walker) *Alan "A.J." Walker, 16 (son of Jeffery Walker)

==The shooter==
Sulejman Talović (born ], ]) was a ]<ref name="6 minutes of horror" /> refugee<ref name="Police ID victims, killer in shooting">{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5218750|title=Police ID victims, killer in shooting|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> whose family<ref name="6 minutes of horror">{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660195489,00.html|title=6 minutes of horror|publisher=]|date=2007-02-14|accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref> moved to the ] in 1998 from the small town of ] in the ] municipality of ].<ref name="Sulejman Talović ubio pet, a teško ranio četiri osobe">{{cite web|url=http://www.avaz.ba/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=459&z=12&isasp=|title=Sulejman Talović ubio pet, a teško ranio četiri osobe|publisher=]|date=2007-02-15|accessdate=2007-02-15}}{{bs icon}}</ref> Talović was a ] who received a ] in ]<ref name="More details emerging on Trolley Square gunman and victims">{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660195184,00.html|title=More details emerging on Trolley Square gunman and victims|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> and lived with his mother in Salt Lake City at the time of the shoting.<ref name="Killer identified as 18-year-old Sulejmen Talovic">{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5218570|title=Killer identified as 18-year-old Sulejmen Talovic|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref> He had a record of minor juvenile incidents and had ] of ] at age 16.<ref name="Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/national/main2466711.shtml|title=Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall|publisher=]|date=2007-02-13|accessdate=2007-02-13}}</ref>. After the shooting, Talović was buried in his birthplace, a small village of Talovići near ], Bosnia and Herzegovina on ], ].

===Motive===
Talović's aunt, Ajka Omerović, emerged briefly from the family's house to say relatives had no idea why the young man attacked so many strangers. She said that Talović had lived in the Sarajevo area as a child, and that his family moved to Utah from Bosnia. "He was such a good boy. I don't know what happened," she told Salt Lake City television station ].<ref>, ], Feb. 13, 2007</ref>

In another KSL interview, with Omerović, and Talović's father, Suljo Talović, the two indicated concern that some outside influence might have induced Sulejman to commit the killings. "I think this did. I think somebody (is) behind him, I think, but I am not sure...."<ref>, KSL-TV, Feb. 18, 2007</ref>

The father suggested that the US government bears some responsibility for his son's actions, saying "The authorities are guilty for not alerting us that he bought a gun. In the US, you cannot buy cigarettes if you are underaged, but you can buy a gun." However, contrary to Mr. Talović's statement, federal law prohibits the sale of handguns and handgun ammunition to those under 21; shotguns and shotgun ammunition are prohibited to those under 18.<ref>[http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=43 Gun laws in the US</ref>

In the light of the ] some ], including commentator ]<ref>, Fox News</ref> and congressman ]<ref name="Cannon Takes Back">{{cite news|title= Cannon Takes Back 'Allah' Quote |url=http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660197676,00.html| last=Speckman | first=Stephen |date=]|publisher=Deseret Morning News}}</ref> suggested that Talović repeatedly shouted "]" prior to his death, suggesting a religious motive. Some sources reach this conclusion by listening to online video of the rampage, which supposedly captures Talović's religious shouting.<ref>, ], Feb. 22, 2007. For the video, see </ref> Some family members suggested that emotional trauma Sulejman may have suffered during the Balkan war years of his youth might have contributed to this shocking act of violence. Ajka Onerović was quoted as saying, "We are Muslims, but we are not terrorists," <ref>, Post Independent, Feb. 14, 2007</ref> and ] agent Patrick Kiernan <!-- DO NOT WIKIFY - that leads to NYC news man --> has stated that he has no reason to suspect terrorism.<ref name="Trolley Square: A search for answers">{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5230906|title=Trolley Square: A search for answers|publisher=]|date=2007-02-15|accessdate=2007-02-17}}</ref>


==Officers honored== ==Officers honored==

Revision as of 08:56, 5 January 2008

Trolley Square shooting
Candlelight vigil at the Salt Lake City Public Library for victims of the Trolley Square shooting.
LocationSalt Lake City, Utah, United States
DateMonday, February 12, 2007
TargetTrolley Square
Attack typemass murder, massacre
Weaponsshotgun and handgun
Deaths6 (including the perpetrator)
Injured4
PerpetratorsSulejman Talović

The Trolley Square shooting was a shooting rampage that occurred on February 12, 2007, at Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah. The shooting resulted in the deaths of five bystanders and the shooter himself, as well as the wounding of at least four others. The killer's massacre was fatally halted by five police officers, including one off-duty officer who had been at a restaurant with his wife prior to the shooting.

The gunman, Sulejman Talović, was an eighteen-year-old Bosniak immigrant. He had a history of minor juvenile incidents, had dropped out of high school and had been living in Salt Lake City with his mother.

Timeline

On February 12, 2007, at 6:44 PM MST, Talović began a deadly shooting in Trolley Square resulting in the deaths of five bystanders and the shooter himself, as well as the wounding of at least four others. Talovic was described as wearing a white shirt, a tan trenchcoat and a mullet. He carried both a shotgun and a handgun, as well as a backpack full of ammunition.

The gunman's rampage was stopped after trading shots with off-duty police officer Kenneth Hammond, and Sgt. Andrew Oblad of the Salt Lake City Police Department. The final confrontation, in which Talović was killed, occurred in the Pottery Barn Kids home furnishing store. Hammond was at Trolley Square with his pregnant wife, 911 dispatcher Sarita Hammond. Sarita borrowed a waiter's cell phone to call 911. Talović was cornered and was shooting at officers, until an active shooter contact team composed of Salt Lake City PD SWAT team members arrived and shot him. Salt Lake City police officials on February 13, 2007, thanked Hammond as a hero in saving countless lives.

According to local TV station ABC 4, several witnesses reported that a majority of the shooting took place on the ground floor near the Pottery Barn store, though the majority of the dead were found in Cabin Fever, a card store. One of the victims, having been shot, apparently entered the nearby Hard Rock Cafe and told customers to lock the doors. Nothing is yet known of the gunman's motive. Several victims were transported to local hospitals, some in critical condition.

One of the victims was a 16-year-old boy found in his car with a wound to the side of his head; another, Cedric Wilson, an employee at Rodizio Grill, was fired at twice but suffered only a graze on his head.

Victims

Killed were:

  • Teresa Ellis, 29
  • Brad Frantz, 24
  • Kirsten Hinckley, 15
  • Vanessa Quinn, 29
  • Jeffery Walker, 53

Wounded and hospitalized were:

  • Carolyn Tuft, 43 (mother of Kirsten Hinckley)
  • Shawn Munns, 34
  • Stacy Hanson, 53
  • Alan "A.J." Walker, 16 (son of Jeffery Walker)

The shooter

Sulejman Talović (born October 6, 1988) was a Bosniak refugee whose family moved to the United States in 1998 from the small town of Cerska in the Vlasenica municipality of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Talović was a permanent resident who received a green card in 2005 and lived with his mother in Salt Lake City at the time of the shoting. He had a record of minor juvenile incidents and had dropped out of high school at age 16.. After the shooting, Talović was buried in his birthplace, a small village of Talovići near Cerska, Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 2, 2007.

Motive

Talović's aunt, Ajka Omerović, emerged briefly from the family's house to say relatives had no idea why the young man attacked so many strangers. She said that Talović had lived in the Sarajevo area as a child, and that his family moved to Utah from Bosnia. "He was such a good boy. I don't know what happened," she told Salt Lake City television station KSL-TV.

In another KSL interview, with Omerović, and Talović's father, Suljo Talović, the two indicated concern that some outside influence might have induced Sulejman to commit the killings. "I think this did. I think somebody (is) behind him, I think, but I am not sure...."

The father suggested that the US government bears some responsibility for his son's actions, saying "The authorities are guilty for not alerting us that he bought a gun. In the US, you cannot buy cigarettes if you are underaged, but you can buy a gun." However, contrary to Mr. Talović's statement, federal law prohibits the sale of handguns and handgun ammunition to those under 21; shotguns and shotgun ammunition are prohibited to those under 18.

In the light of the War on Terrorism some conservatives, including commentator John Gibson and congressman Chris Cannon suggested that Talović repeatedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" prior to his death, suggesting a religious motive. Some sources reach this conclusion by listening to online video of the rampage, which supposedly captures Talović's religious shouting. Some family members suggested that emotional trauma Sulejman may have suffered during the Balkan war years of his youth might have contributed to this shocking act of violence. Ajka Onerović was quoted as saying, "We are Muslims, but we are not terrorists," and FBI agent Patrick Kiernan has stated that he has no reason to suspect terrorism.

Officers honored

Five officers were honored at the Utah state capitol on February 16 for their bravery in the Trolley Square shooting.

They are: Sgt. Andrew Oblad, Sgt. Joshua Scharman, Detective Dustin Marshall and Detective Brett Olsen, all of the Salt Lake City Police Department, and Officer Kenneth Hammond of the Ogden Police Department.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall". CBS News. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  2. ^ "Gunman Opens Fire at Trolley Square". KSL-TV. 2007-02-12. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
  3. "Emotionless killer gunned down victims randomly". Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  4. ^ "Trolley Square killer, 18, had two weapons, police say". Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  5. ^ "Officer called hero following Utah rampage". Associated Press. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  6. "Police, DA give further details in Trolley shooting". Deseret Morning News. 2007-02-17. Retrieved 2007-02-18.
  7. http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660195487,00.html
  8. "Their stories: Bystanders shocked by killings". The Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-07-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Police ID victims, killer in shooting". The Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  10. ^ "6 minutes of horror". Deseret News. 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
  11. "Sulejman Talović ubio pet, a teško ranio četiri osobe". Dnevni Avaz. 2007-02-15. Retrieved 2007-02-15.Template:Bs icon
  12. "More details emerging on Trolley Square gunman and victims". Deseret Morning News. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  13. "Killer identified as 18-year-old Sulejmen Talovic". Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  14. "Off-Duty cop helped end Utah mall rage", Associated Press, Feb. 13, 2007
  15. "Trolley Square Shooter's Family Speaks to the Media", KSL-TV, Feb. 18, 2007
  16. [http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=43 Gun laws in the US
  17. Why No Mention That Salt Lake Shooter Was Muslim?, Fox News
  18. Speckman, Stephen (2007-02-22). "Cannon Takes Back 'Allah' Quote". Deseret Morning News. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. Burbank Says Evidence Does Not Support 'Personal Jihad' in Mall Shooting", KCPW, Feb. 22, 2007. For the video, see amateur video clip recording of the mall shooting
  20. "FBI rules out terrorism in Utah shooting", Post Independent, Feb. 14, 2007
  21. "Trolley Square: A search for answers". Salt Lake Tribune. 2007-02-15. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
  22. "Five officers were honored at Utah state capitol". KUTV. 2007-02-16. Retrieved 2007-02-16.

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