Robert Hawkins and the 2007 Westroads Mall Shooting
Overview
Robert Arthur Hawkins was a 19-year-old mass murderer responsible for the deadly shooting inside the Von Maur department store at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska. On December 5, 2007, Hawkins entered the crowded store with a semiautomatic rifle and opened fire on employees and customers. He killed eight people and wounded four others before taking his own life.
The attack occurred during the Christmas shopping season, when the mall was busy with customers and store employees. The shooting lasted only several minutes, but it became one of the deadliest crimes in Nebraska history. Six of the people killed were Von Maur employees, while two were customers.
Background of Robert Hawkins
Robert Arthur Hawkins was born on May 17, 1988, at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, where his American parents were stationed with the United States Air Force. He later lived in Nebraska and experienced serious behavioral and emotional problems from an early age.
Hawkins spent years receiving treatment through hospitals, residential programs and state services. He was reportedly diagnosed at different times with attention-deficit disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and an unspecified mood disorder. As a teenager, he became a ward of the State of Nebraska and lived in several treatment facilities and foster placements.
He attended Fort Calhoun High School but was expelled in 2005 after allegedly attempting to sell drugs to other students. He later attended Papillion-La Vista High School before dropping out in March 2006. Hawkins eventually obtained a General Educational Development certificate.
By 2007, Hawkins was living with friends and their mother in Bellevue, Nebraska, south of Omaha. He had become estranged from members of his family and was reportedly struggling with unemployment, financial problems and the recent end of a romantic relationship. He had also attempted to join the United States Army but was rejected because of his mental-health history.
Events Before the Shooting
During the weeks before the attack, Hawkins experienced several personal setbacks. He had lost his job at a McDonald’s restaurant and had recently separated from his girlfriend. On November 24, 2007, he was cited on suspicion of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, underage possession of alcohol and another alcohol-related offense. He was scheduled to appear in court on December 19, 2007.
On the morning of December 5, Hawkins reportedly spoke with family members and acquaintances without clearly revealing what he was planning. At some point, he obtained a Century Arms WASR-10 semiautomatic rifle from his stepfather’s residence. The weapon was a civilian version of an AK-pattern rifle and used 7.62×39mm ammunition.
Hawkins left suicide notes for family members and friends. The writings expressed anger, hopelessness and a desire to become famous through violence. One note indicated that he intended to kill other people before killing himself. The notes were discovered shortly before the attack, but authorities were unable to locate Hawkins in time to prevent the shooting.
Arrival at Westroads Mall
At approximately 1:36 p.m. on December 5, 2007, Hawkins entered the Von Maur department store through its south entrance. Surveillance cameras recorded him walking into the building without a visible weapon. He looked around briefly, turned and left the store.
Approximately six minutes later, Hawkins returned through the same entrance. This time, the rifle was concealed beneath his sweatshirt. He was carrying two ammunition magazines taped together. After entering the store, he walked to an elevator and traveled to the third floor.
The Shooting
At approximately 1:43 p.m., the elevator doors opened on the third floor. Hawkins stepped out and immediately began firing. His first victims were two women near clothing displays. He then moved toward the store’s open central atrium and fired toward people on the lower floors.
Bullets traveled through the atrium, striking employees and customers on different levels of the store. Witnesses initially mistook the sounds for construction noise or falling objects. When people realized that gunfire was occurring, shoppers and workers ran toward exits, hid in fitting rooms, locked themselves in offices or took cover behind merchandise counters.
Hawkins continued through the third floor and approached the customer-service area. He fired repeatedly at employees and others near the desk. Several people were killed or critically wounded in this part of the store.
The shooting ended at approximately 1:49 p.m. Hawkins entered an area near the customer-service department and fatally shot himself. Investigators later determined that he had fired approximately 41 rounds, including the final shot that killed him. He still had additional ammunition when the attack ended.
Victims Killed
Eight people were murdered during the Westroads Mall shooting. The victims ranged in age from 24 to 66. Each was killed at the Von Maur department store in Westroads Mall, located at 10000 California Street in Omaha, Nebraska, on December 5, 2007.
- Beverly Jean Flynn, 47 – A Von Maur employee who was killed inside the department store on December 5, 2007.
- Janet D. Jorgensen, 66 – A longtime Von Maur employee who was killed while working in the store on December 5, 2007.
- Gary Michael Joy, 56 – A Von Maur employee who was fatally shot inside the store on December 5, 2007.
- John Vincent McDonald, 65 – A customer who was shopping with his wife when he was killed on December 5, 2007.
- Gary Eugene Scharf, 48 – A customer who was killed inside Von Maur during the attack on December 5, 2007.
- Angella Colette “Angie” Schuster, 36 – A department manager at Von Maur who was killed near the customer-service area on December 5, 2007.
- Dianne Marie Trent, 53 – A Von Maur employee who was fatally shot while working on December 5, 2007.
- Maggie Laine Webb, 24 – A Von Maur manager who was killed during the shooting on December 5, 2007.
People Wounded
Four people survived gunshot or bullet-fragment injuries caused by Hawkins. Two employees suffered critical wounds and required extensive emergency treatment.
- Fred Wilson, 61 – A customer-service manager who suffered a gunshot wound to the upper chest. He lost a massive amount of blood and reportedly had no detectable pulse when he reached the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Medical personnel were able to revive and stabilize him.
- Micheale “Mickey” Oldham, 65 – A customer-service employee who suffered severe wounds to her abdomen and back. She was transported to Creighton University Medical Center and survived after extensive medical treatment.
- Jeff Schaffart, 34 – A customer who was wounded in the left arm and hand. He was treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and released.
- Mandy Hyda, 34 – She suffered a bruise to her left leg after being struck by a bullet fragment. Her injury was identified after the initial casualty reports were released.
Emergency Response
The first emergency calls were made almost immediately after the shooting began. Callers described a gunman firing inside Von Maur as employees and customers attempted to hide or escape. Gunshots could be heard during at least one recorded emergency call.
Omaha police officers arrived at the mall within minutes of receiving the first report. Officers entered the building and moved through the store while searching for the gunman. By the time they reached the upper floors, Hawkins was already dead.
Paramedics established treatment areas outside the mall and transported the wounded to local hospitals. Police evacuated the building and searched the large shopping complex to determine whether another attacker was present. Investigators ultimately concluded that Hawkins had acted alone.
Investigation
Investigators reconstructed Hawkins’s movements using store surveillance recordings, witness statements, physical evidence and emergency-call recordings. The footage showed him entering the store without a weapon, leaving and returning several minutes later with the rifle hidden beneath his clothing.
Authorities recovered the rifle, ammunition magazines, spent cartridge cases and unfired ammunition. Investigators determined that Hawkins had fired approximately 41 shots and still possessed ammunition when he died.
An autopsy found diazepam, commonly known as Valium, in Hawkins’s system at a level within or near the therapeutic range. No evidence showed that intoxication alone caused the attack. Investigators instead examined his personal history, emotional deterioration, recent setbacks and writings as possible explanations for his actions.
Suicide Notes and Motive
Hawkins left several written messages before the shooting. The notes suggested that he wanted attention and expected the killings to make him famous. He expressed feelings of failure and resentment while also apologizing to certain relatives and friends.
No single event was identified as the sole motive. Authorities and mental-health experts noted a combination of long-term psychological problems, anger, social isolation, job loss, relationship difficulties and suicidal thinking. His writings demonstrated that the attack was planned rather than an impulsive confrontation inside the store.
Community Impact
The Westroads Mall shooting deeply affected Omaha and the surrounding region. Families lost parents, spouses, siblings, friends and coworkers only weeks before Christmas. Vigils and memorial services were held for the victims, and residents placed flowers, candles and messages near the mall.
Westroads Mall reopened on December 8, 2007, with increased security. The Von Maur store remained closed longer and reopened on December 20. Employees returned to a workplace that had become the scene of a mass killing, and counseling was made available to workers and witnesses.
The attack also produced renewed discussion about firearm access, mental-health treatment, suicide prevention and how authorities should respond when a person leaves threatening messages. Hawkins had received years of treatment and state-funded services, yet those interventions did not prevent his eventual violence.
Legacy
The December 5, 2007, Westroads Mall shooting remains one of Nebraska’s deadliest acts of mass murder. Nine people died when Hawkins is included in the total, eight victims were murdered and four others suffered physical injuries.
The crime is remembered primarily through the lives of Beverly Flynn, Janet Jorgensen, Gary Joy, John McDonald, Gary Scharf, Angie Schuster, Dianne Trent and Maggie Webb. Their deaths transformed an ordinary afternoon of work and holiday shopping into a lasting tragedy for their families, the Von Maur company and the Omaha community.
