Mall Shooting in Knoxville

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Knox County Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert said today he talked briefly face-to-face with the man accused of gunning down a store worker at Knoxville Center Mall just before police arrived.

"I did speak with the suspect," Lambert said this morning. "He was still in the store. He didn't say anything about the shooting, but I observed he was armed.

"It appeared to be a medium-sized handgun, probably a 9 mm or a .40-caliber. He didn't point it at me, so I didn't draw down on him."

Knoxville police say William Johnson, 42, shot Ahmed Nahl, 29, repeatedly during an argument inside the Reno Mens Wear store on the mall's first floor Wednesday around 4:20 p.m. Police said he fired on arriving officers, who brought him down with shots to a leg and an arm.

Nahl died at the scene. Johnson, charged with felony murder, was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with wounds police said didn't appear to be life-threatening.

Lambert said he had gone to the mall to see the dentist when he heard the commotion and shouts that someone had been shot.

The commissioner, who says he always carries a gun, had brought his Keltec .380-caliber pistol with him. It's the same gun he used two years ago to thwart a robbery at his car dealership in Powell. The suspect was later charged with the murder of a Knoxville truck driver.

"I went running to see what I could do," he said. "I saw the mall security guards were unarmed."

Lambert said he followed the guards to the store and got there about a minute before Knoxville Police Department officers arrived.

"I could see part of the guy's body," Lambert said. "He was near the front of the store. I saw the guy was armed with a handgun. I asked him to put it down."

The commissioner won't say exactly what Johnson said.

"He didn't comply," Lambert said. "He was very agitated, and I backed out. I'm not a policeman, and I'm not a psychiatrist. I decided the best thing was to watch and report to law enforcement."

Lambert said he tried to dial E-911 from his cell phone, couldn't get through, and ended up calling Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones. He said he heard but didn't see the gun battle with police.

"I didn't see who shot first," he said. "The officers acted very professionally and quickly. I believe they did what they had to do."

KPD Sgt. Darrell Griffin and Officer Tyler Wylie remain on paid leave during a routine review of the shooting. Griffin's been with the department for 10 years, and Wylie's been an officer for three years.

Police haven't said so far what they believe led to the shooting. KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk wouldn't give any new details this morning.

"I can't discuss anything about the shooting," he said.

He said police will give more information this afternoon.

Lambert said he saw no sign that Johnson planned to go on a rampage.

"It looked like an isolated incident to me," the commissioner said. "Whatever the situation was, I think it was just one guy."

The mall closed after the shootings but reopened today with normal business hours.

Wednesday's shooting marked the most recent in a spate of public shootings and the third at the mall in about a year.



http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/oct/09/commissioner-lambert-recalls-facing-knoxville-cent/





Tarzan

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This is truly sad. HCP comes in handy would have come in handy in this situation.

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Apparently, just another goof with a gun...





http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/oct/10/lawyers-fight-over-defenders-access-accused-mall-s/

Johnson killed Reno Mens Wear clerk Ahmed Nahl, 29, apparently over dissatisfaction with a previous clothing purchase, authorities said Thursday.

"His aggression was directed at the store. This shooting did not occur just because the store was at the mall. He was not happy with this store," Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk said.

...

Johnson showed up at the store around 4:20 p.m. to complain, DeBusk said. He and Nahl, who was working the counter, argued, and police say Johnson drew a Ruger 9 mm pistol.

The first shot sent Nahl to the floor, police said. Johnson turned and ordered another worker down, then stood over Nahl to fire "a few more times," DeBusk said.

...

Police said the Ruger belonged to Johnson, who had no recent criminal history. Knox County court records show only one arrest on a misdemeanor assault charge in 1991 - a charge that was later dismissed. His family couldn't be reached Thursday.

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Here's the Fox News article on it. I saw this the day it was posted. My emphasis below:

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— A man was charged with murder after opening fire in a crowded shopping mall, killing a worker at a men's clothing store and sending panicked shoppers scrambling for cover, police said.
Police officers shot and wounded William Johnson, 42, who has been charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping and two counts of attempted murder in the Wednesday afternoon shooting, police said. He was in stable condition at a hospital.
The employee, Ahmed Nahl, 29, was shot multiple times around 4:20 p.m. after a confrontation with the suspect at Knoxville Center Mall, police spokesman Darrell DeBusk said. Nahl died at the scene.
Two uniformed police officers confronted the suspect as he left Reno Menswear store and exchanged gunfire, hitting him once in the arm and once in the leg, DeBusk said. No one else was hurt, and police recovered the suspect's handgun.
The two officers involved in the shooting were put on paid leave pending an investigation, which is standard procedure.
Witness Daniel Wiles, 34, said he saw a man about a hundred feet away with a handgun, heard nine shots and saw people begin fleeing for cover.
"I heard a single shot. Then immediately after that I heard eight additional shots. People started stampeding," said Wiles, who was at the mall to pay a cell phone bill.
Kay Jewelers assistant manager Cayla Corum said that before she heard gunshots a worker warned her to shut the gates to the store because of reports of someone carrying a gun in the mall.emphasis by C-ya
"At first, it sounded like firecrackers going off," said Corum, 21. "Then everyone started running. ... I've never experienced anything like it in my life."
Corum said she heard two shots, a pause, and then "at least 15" shots.
The mall, owned by Simon Property Group of Indianapolis, closed early because of the shooting.
Mall manager Tim Hill said in a release that the company was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy, offered sympathy to the victim and his family and pledged full cooperation with authorities.

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Now, I'm guessing the accused was carrying in an open, aggressive manner. At least I hope that is the case. I'd rather it be that than some nancy was scared that someone was legally carrying a holstered pistol.

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Polizei wrote:

This is truly sad. HCP comes in handy would have come in handy in this situation.

Click to expand...

There was a HCP holder there. He even spoke to the shooter after the first shots were fired, but chose not to intervene. He might have saved the victem from the second round of shots if he had.

Knox County Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert said today he talked briefly face-to-face with the man accused of gunning down a store worker at Knoxville Center Mall just before police arrived.

"I did speak with the suspect," Lambert said this morning. "He was still in the store. He didn't say anything about the shooting, but I observed he was armed.

"It appeared to be a medium-sized handgun, probably a 9 mm or a .40-caliber. He didn't point it at me, so I didn't draw down on him."

Click to expand...