A potential mass shooting was narrowly avoided at a Target in Omaha on Tuesday after officers fatally shot an active gunman, according to police.
The gunman, an unidentified man in his 30s, was firing multiple rounds of ammunition with an AR-15-style rifle as he entered the store, according to The Associated Press.
Omaha police responded to the scene within minutes around noon after receiving over two dozen 911 calls, and shot the suspect dead after confronting him, the report continues.
“The first arriving officers went into the building, confronted the suspect and shot him dead,” Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said.
A mass shooting inside a Target may have been narrowly avoided in Omaha, Nebraska after a gunman fired an AR-15-style rifle and was then shot and killed by officers, according to police.@Maggie_Vespa has more details on the investigation. pic.twitter.com/bq7TpU5ggp
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) February 1, 2023
There were no injuries and it is not clear if the gunman was shooting at anyone in particular when he entered the store, NBC News reported.
All customer and store employees were safely evacuated from building, the AP reported. (RELATED: Authorities Reveal ‘Death Note’ From Walmart Shooter’s Phone).
Omaha Police Department tweeted after the incident that there were no victims at the Target or nearby hospitals, but urged the public to avoid the area.
Responding officers shot the suspect who was armed with a rifle. Currently no victims located at Target or local hospitals. Any witnesses who have left the area are urged to call 402-444-4877 to report information.
— Omaha Police Dept (@OmahaPolice) January 31, 2023
“I really thought I was going to die,” a Target employee told KETV NewsWatch 7. “It just felt like they were coming closer and closer.”
This is Lauren Murphy & Samuel Jacobsen. The two target employees were inside.
Lauren says she’s been trained for active shooters since elementary school. She was inside a restroom at the front, hid inside stall, clutched a toilet, lifted her legs, and “thought she would die.” pic.twitter.com/Iv0oQES2hY
— Bill Schammert (@BillSchammert) January 31, 2023
Omaha Police said the store will reopen Thursday, according to KETV NewsWatch 7.