Omaha, Nebraska authorities and officials have announced that there were two gunmen in the Westroads Mall that opened fire and injured one male and one female who’ve been taken to the hospital.
The two suspects have not been identified yet and the police ask that anyone with any information come forward to help identify the perpetrators.
“This is very uncommon. I believe- and speaking for the department- Omaha is a very safe place. I know incidents like this happen, and unfortunately, nationwide we are seeing an increase in different violent crimes,” said an Omaha Police spokesperson. “However, Omaha is safe. We take a lot of preventative measures as a department. This is uncommon and unfortunately, this is just a coincidence that two incidents have happened so closely together.”
In March, an officer that was responding to a shoplifting call at Westroads was shot, making this incident the second in 2021.
This shooting comes just a few days after Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation stating that Nebraska is a “Second Amendment Sanctuary State.” This means that if a state, county or city thinks federal gun laws are too restrictive, they won’t enforce them.
“The White House and U.S. Congress have announced their intention to pursue measures that would infringe on the right to keep and bear arms,” Ricketts stated in the proclamation. “Nebraska will stand up against federal overreach and attempts to regulate gun ownership and use in the Good Life.”
Many residents and those who heard about the shooting have shared their opinions about the recent events and are demanding some type of change.
The two victims have serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, an ABC News affiliate in Nebraska reported.
There have been at least six mass shootings in the U.S. in 2021, and while this wasn't a mass shooting, concerns over gun violence continue.
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Indianapolis deputy police chief Craig McCartt speaks to reporters at the FedEx facility where the shooting took place, during a press conference on Friday, April 16, 2021 Photo: AFP / Jeff Dean
