Police identify Bosnian teen as gunman in Utah mall rampage

Police identify Bosnian teen as gunman in Utah mall rampage
Agence France Presse (English) - February 14, 2007, Wednesday 3:26 AM GMT

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb 13 2007 - Police on Tuesday identified an 18-year-old Bosnian immigrant as the gunman who killed five people in a Utah shopping mall before he was shot dead by police.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said detectives were still struggling to find a motive behind Solejman Talovic's bloody assault on the historic Trolley Square complex on Monday.

Talovic, whose family arrived in the United States about three or four years ago, was killed after being cornered by an off-duty police officer celebrating Valentine's Day early with his wife when the teenager's killing spree began.

Burbank said Talovic had been armed with a shotgun and a pistol and was carrying several rounds of ammunition in a backpack and a waistband.

"This individual had one thing in mind. He was well prepared, he had a backpack with numerous rounds of ammunition as well as an additional firearm," Burbank said. "He had one purpose."

Burbank said the quick thinking of off-duty police officer Ken Hammond from Ogden, north of Salt Lake City, had cut short Talovic's rampage, saving "numerous" lives.

Hammond had been having a Valentine's dinner with his wife and left the restaurant where they were eating after hearing gunfire.

"The officer contained him until other officers arrived and resolved the situation," Burbank said. "There's no question his quick actions saved the lives of numerous other people."

Hammond played down descriptions of himself as a hero. "I was just the one that was there," he told a news conference.

No further details on Talovic were immediately available.

The Bosnian community in Salt Lake City is reported to number around 3,000 people.

Burbank said the condition of four people injured in the shooting had improved early Tuesday.

Police said a 52-year-old man, two 28-year-old women, a 24-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were killed in the attack, which took place at around 6:45 pm Monday.

Witnesses reported Talovic coolly moving through the 80-shop mall, gunning down his victims.

"He was totally calm and didn't seem to be upset or mad or anything. He was just completely tranquil. It was so bizarre," said Marie Smith, the manager of a toiletries store.

Meanwhile, in the northeastern US city of Philadelphia on Monday, a lone gunman entered an office complex and opened fire, leaving four people dead, including the attacker. A fifth person was seriously wounded.

The Philadelphia incident, arising from an apparent business dispute, happened at about 8:30 pm local time in an office complex at the city's old naval base, local media reported.

The gunman opened fire on at least four people before turning the gun on himself. Police told the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper that the shooting took place after a dispute during a company board meeting.

"It appeared that the shooter was upset over something that was going on inside the business," Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross told the Inquirer.