***Breaking News***

From CNN.

Police: Nine killed in shooting at Omaha mall, including gunman

The person believed to be the gunman dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Shopping center is locked down

Shoppers and employees walk out of the building with their hands up

Witness: It sounded like someone shooting fireworks



(CNN) -- A gunman killed eight people and wounded five others Wednesday at the popular Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, before apparently turning the gun on himself, police said.

The Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, is locked down after the shooting. "We do not believe that we have any other shooter," said Sgt. Teresa Negron. The shooting took place at the Von Maur store inside the shopping complex, which was locked down, the Nebraska State Patrol said. Shoppers and employees walked out of the building with their hands up. Some described hiding in clothes racks and dressing rooms after hearing the shots.

"I was standing around getting ready to go back to work and all of a sudden I heard this bang, bang, bang -- it sounded like someone shooting fireworks," a witness told CNN affiliate KETV. "I ran to get away from whatever was happening."

Shoppers described scenes of horror as they fled the mall.
"We heard about 35, 40 shots, and on our way our we did see someone down by the escalator, bleeding," Jennifer Cramer told KETV.

Another witness said people started running frantically from the Von Maur area saying there was a shooting. "I heard three loud pops," said mall employee Charissa Tatoon. "Immediately
after that, there was a series of maybe 20 to 25 more shots up on the third floor." She said she saw a man shot on the second floor and "at least four or five" people brought out on gurneys.

Another woman who works at the mall said she saw a woman shot, and added that the shots seemed to be coming from inside the Von Maur store, on an upper level. People were gathering outside the mall, checking on loved ones believed to be inside.