Sulejman Talovic

Mass Murderer

Sulejman Talovic and the 2007 Trolley Square Massacre

Background

Sulejman Talovic was an 18-year-old mass murderer responsible for the February 12, 2007, shooting at the Trolley Square shopping center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Talovic was born on October 6, 1988, near Cerska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His family experienced the violence and displacement associated with the Bosnian War before immigrating to the United States in 1998. They eventually settled in Salt Lake City, where Talovic lived with his parents and three sisters. Talovic attended school in Utah but dropped out at approximately 16 years old. He had previously been involved in minor juvenile offenses, although nothing in his known criminal history clearly predicted the scale of violence he would later commit. Relatives said he was familiar with Trolley Square and had spent considerable time there while growing up. Despite an extensive investigation after the attack, authorities never established a definitive motive.

Preparation for the Shooting

By February 2007, Talovic had obtained a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver. He also possessed a large amount of ammunition. Investigators later determined that the firearms had passed through private sellers and a pawnshop before reaching him. Several people were prosecuted for offenses connected to the firearm transactions, but authorities found no evidence that they knew Talovic intended to carry out a mass shooting. On the evening of Monday, February 12, 2007, Talovic drove to Trolley Square, a historic shopping and dining complex at approximately 600 South and 700 East in Salt Lake City. He parked on an upper level of the western parking garage. Talovic wore a white shirt and tan trench coat and carried the shotgun, revolver and a backpack containing additional ammunition.

The Attack Begins in the Parking Garage

At approximately 6:44 p.m., Talovic encountered 52-year-old Jeffrey Walker and Walker's 16-year-old son, Alan "A.J." Walker, in the western parking garage. Without warning, he opened fire with the shotgun. Both father and son were struck. Alan Walker managed to escape down a staircase despite suffering a serious head injury. Jeffrey Walker fell in the garage and was unable to escape. Talovic approached him and fired additional shots, killing him. Walker became the first person murdered during the attack. Talovic then continued toward the shopping center's western entrance. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Teresa Ellis 29 yr old Female

Trolley Square shooting