Less than 30 minutes ago, I attended a press conference where the Salt Lake City Police Department released basic details about last night’s shooting rampage at the Trolley Square shopping mall, which ended in the killing of five mall patrons and the gunman.

The dead included two men and three women.

The shooter was Sulejmen Talovic, an 18-year-old male from Salt Lake City. Police released little more than that. Chief Chris Burbank said Talovic lives with his mother. They are still investigating his motives, his work and or educational background, and seeking information about his friends and associations. Burbank said they have no knowledge of his mental state last night or leading up to the shootings.

Police believe at this point that Talovic acted alone and had no assistance in planning the crime.

The dead are identified as:

Jeffery Walker, 52.
Vanessa Quinn, 29.
Kirsten Hinckley, 15.
Teresa Ellis, 29.
Brad Frantz, 24.

The hospitalized injured are:
Carolyn Tufts, 44.
Shawn Munns, 34.
Stacy Hansen, 53.
Jeffery Allen Walker, 16.

At this writing, we know nothing more about their backgrounds, hometowns or other personal information.

Burbank told reporters the shooter had a “minor” juvenile criminal record with four non-violent infractions. He would not discuss details, citing the confidentiality of juvenile criminal information.

Talovic parked his car in the mall’s west parking terrace, and just before entering the west door of Trolley, shot two people. He entered the building, then shot a woman. He walked eastward through the lower level of the mall, and shot five people at Cabin Fever card and gift shop. Burbank said Talovic “encountered two others before he was contained” by four Salt Lake police officers and one off-duty Ogden police officer.

The Ogden officer was able to keep Talovic at bay until other police arrived, and is being hailed as the hero of the night. His name is not yet being released. All the officers — including the Ogden man — are on paid administrative leave during the investigation.

“There is no question that [the Ogden officer’s] quick actions saved the lives of numerous people,” Burbank told reporters gathered at the west entrance of the Salt Lake City and County Building. The officer, he said, engaged a suspect who was well-armed. He was wearing no uniform and had none of the customary back-up of his partner or SWAT team.

Police said Talovic carried a backpack into the mall and had two weapons — a .38-caliber handgun and a shotgun. Burbank could not describe the shotgun. Talovic also had several rounds of live ammunition in the backpack and in a bandelier around his torso.

ScanlanKemperBard Companies, owner of Trolley Square, has established a fund for the victims and their families through Wells Fargo Bank. Contributions can be made to the “Trolley Square Victims’ Fund” at any bank branch. Tom Bard, SKB executive vice president, told me his firm has made a “sizable contribution” to the fund, but would not elaborate on the amount.

Random thoughts:

Mayor Rocky Anderson, who conducted the press conference, was thoughtful, calm, and reassuring — just what we need and expect from the leader of our city today. “This is as tough as it gets for any community,” a somber Anderson began. He assured everyone, which was echoed by Burbank in his remarks, that statistically Salt Lake is a very safe place. “This was an isolated incident,” Anderson said, adding that crime statistics across the board have been dropping in Salt Lake for 14 straight years.

“This kind of thing is really unheard of here,” said Burbank. “I am just amazed standing here. Exactly what caused this? What drove a young man to do this?”

While we all await that answer, which may never fully come, my current thought is somewhat opposed to the mayor and police chief’s disbelief. The fact is, we can never view this city as so fundamentally different than everywhere else. This city is growing and changing–and we have invited that upward evolution every step of the way, for goodness sake. It’s perfectly fine and normal in the aftermath of this numbing tragedy to act surprised, shocked, even incredulous at this unspeakable and random act of violence.

But do let’s give up on the notion that our bedrock Utah values somehow save us or cocoon us from crimes and violence shared by the rest of our society. We are no better or worse than anyone else who lives and loves their family and friends — and that means in Los Angeles, Detroit, Miami, or Newark.

Instead of looking back on Salt Lake’s good old, safe old days, let’s accept we no longer live in a bubble. (If we ever did at all!!) And let’s start working, as soon as tomorrow I hope, on getting to know and understand the people in our midst. The people who live and work near us, the children packed into the huge warehouses we call schools. Because as this city continues its well-loved march toward expansion, the strains and stresses of urban growth will build right along with it.

We will never be safe and sound and fully protected.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007 at 12:43 pm and is filed under All, Politics, Community, Family, Media, Culture, Crazy Utah. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.