[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 193 (Monday, December 17, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H15476-H15477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1230
EXPRESSING HEARTFELT SYMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THE
SHOOTINGS IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 856) expressing heartfelt sympathy for the victims
and families of the shootings in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday,
December 5, 2007.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 856
Whereas the community of Omaha, Nebraska has suffered
through a tragic event at the Westroads Mall that resulted in
the loss of 9 lives and the wounding of several others;
Whereas on December 5, 2007, a troubled young man entered a
department store in the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska
carrying a rifle;
Whereas the young man began to randomly fire his rifle at
shoppers and store clerks within the Von Maur department
store and other locations within Westroads Mall;
Whereas the result of this shooting spree resulted in the
deaths of Gary Scharf, John McDonald, Angie Schuster, Maggie
Webb, Janet Jorgensen, Diane Trent, Gary Joy, and Beverly
Flynn;
Whereas Fred Wilson, Michelle Oldham, Jeff Schaffert, and
Brad Stafford were wounded as a result of the shootings;
Whereas the first responders, officers of the Omaha Police
Department, Douglas and Sarpy County Sheriff's Department,
and Omaha Fire Department, arrived at the Westroads Mall
within minutes and secured all entrances and exits to the
mall and discovered a number of deceased persons, including
the shooter;
Whereas on December 6, 2007 Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman
ordered that all United States and State flags in Nebraska be
flown at half-staff through Sunday, Dec. 9; and
Whereas the grieving and celebration of the lives of those
lost in this senseless tragedy will be with the greater Omaha
community for months and years to come: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
(1) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims and
families of the shootings in Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday,
December 5, 2007; and
(2) conveys its gratitude to the city and county officials,
and all the police, fire, sheriff, and emergency medical
teams who responded swiftly to the scene and secured the mall
and surrounding area.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Issa) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia.
General Leave
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia?
There was no objection.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, I join my colleagues in consideration of H. Res.
856, which expresses heartfelt sympathy for the victims and families of
the shootings in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday, December 5, 2007. H.
Res. 856, which was introduced by Representative Lee Terry on December
12, 2007, has the support of 72 Members of Congress.
The community of Omaha, Nebraska, experienced a shooting spree at the
hands of a troubled teenager carrying a rifle on December 5. Sadly,
nine people died, and four others were wounded in the Westroads Mall.
Thankfully, first responders, the Omaha Police Department, Douglas and
Sarpy County Sheriff's Department, and Omaha Fire Department all
arrived within minutes of the attacks to secure all entrances.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to express great sympathy for the
community's tragedy and all of the lives lost. I commend my colleague
for sponsoring this measure, and I urge the swift passage of the
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, as we on a bipartisan basis support this
resolution, I would yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry)
such time as he may consume.
Mr. TERRY. I thank my friend, the gentleman from California, as well
as the Government Reform Committee, for making sure that this got to
the floor in such a timely manner.
December 5, 2007: that will be a day forever etched in Omaha's memory
as the day a lone gunman took the lives of eight innocent people at the
Westroads Mall, the Von Maur store, during the holiday shopping season.
But it will also be remembered as a day that revealed the true
character of Omaha.
Tragedy, no doubt, reveals the true meaning of unity in any
community. Although I will never understand the senseless events that
took place in my hometown on December 5, I stand here as a proud
citizen, Congressman of that district, because it's in times like these
it doesn't matter what party you belong to, what your political beliefs
are, your race, creed, or color. People come together and they ask what
can we do to help the city and the eight innocent people. I think this
is not only the spirit of Omaha, or what defines the Omaha area, but
also I think it is what exemplifies the spirit of America, and it is
that spirit that we remember in each of the victims and the first
responders.
Let me introduce the eight innocent lives that were lost on that day.
There was 53-year-old Dianne Clavin Trent,
[[Page H15477]]
described by her family as a gentle, generous, soft-spoken woman who
loved the Lord. She loved to shop and was always smiling. She had
worked in customer service at Von Maur for about 8 years.
We have 65-year-old John McDonald, retired from Northern Natural Gas,
whose daughter in fact worked with me in my law office. John was one of
the heroes, when he left his place of safety to come out and start
yelling, some people described it as rather passionately, at the
gunman, to distract him from turning around, and a few feet away was a
room where 12 other innocent people were holed up. John was shot.
Amazingly, though, he was the last victim before the gunman turned the
gun on himself.
The next victim, 48-year-old Gary Scharf, who just stopped by Von
Maur to pick up some Christmas presents before catching a flight out of
Omaha. He grew up on a ranch outside Curtis, Nebraska, where his
funeral was held. He was a proud father who leaves behind a 19-year-old
son.
Fifty-six-old Gary Joy was someone everyone could count on. He loved
his job and liked to write poetry. His family followed his instructions
to have his organs donated. They say it was just like Gary, to help
someone else. His love was with us again, if not only in spirit.
There was 36-year-old Angie Schuster, born on Valentine's Day. Her
boyfriend planned to give her an engagement ring this Christmas. The
priest at her funeral called Angie and her soon-to-be fiance's love the
``real thing.''
We have 67-year-old Janet Jorgensen, who just celebrated her golden
anniversary, 50 years of marriage to her husband Ron just a few months
ago. She went above and beyond at Van Maur, as there were many times
she would shop for customers or deliver items to customers' homes. She
was the seamstress and cake-maker of the family; and for her three
children and eight grandchildren, she will be missed.
There was 47-year-old Beverly Flynn. She took a part-time job at Von
Maur because she was a mother of three beautiful girls. She was also a
real estate agent, and her trademark was planting rosebushes in the
yard of every new homeowner.
The youngest victim, 24-year-old Maggie Webb, was the new store
manager of Von Maur, one of Omaha's finest department stores. Coworkers
described her as one of the nicest people they had ever worked for,
someone whose whole face lit up when she smiled. A lot of people will
miss her service and smile.
Last, I want to thank our first responders. The spirit of Omaha
showed itself through the efforts of our first responders. The first
phone call from the mall came to 911 dispatchers at 1:42. No voice was
on the line. All that was heard were gunshots. What an eerie call.
By the time the first responders arrived, just under 6 minutes later,
the Omaha sheriff opens the doors and enters the store. What a heroic
effort by our police officers, paramedics, firefighters, and others,
when they got to the mall and saw such a grisly scene. The images they
saw will likely haunt them for the rest of their lives. I thank the men
and women who came to face the horror. Thank you for keeping us safe
and saving lives. I also want to praise the spirit of Omaha for coming
together after this tragedy.
In closing, I am deeply saddened by the senseless act from a troubled
and disturbed teenager. It's something our city will never forget. It
has scarred the very heart of our community. But I am proud of our
community for its reaction and the way we came together to support the
victims and begin the healing of our city.
Thank you once again to Government Reform for allowing this
resolution to come forward and be part of the continuing healing in
Omaha.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from the First Congressional District of Nebraska (Mr.
Forten-
berry).
Mr. FORTENBERRY. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding,
and I also wish to thank my colleague, Congressman Terry, for
introducing this important resolution.
As we have heard, Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, December 5, the
enthusiasm of the holiday season came to an abrupt halt with an act of
senseless brutality at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska.
Mr. Speaker, as the Nation mourns the eight victims who were killed
and the three who were wounded, and, I should add, I appreciate Mr.
Terry's lengthy description of these innocent persons and their lives,
I think it is also important and appropriate to recognize their
uncommon heroics and great sacrifices that are now just coming to
light. If there is a comfort in the midst of this difficult time, it is
the beauty of the human spirit and the good that stood in the midst of
this horror and violence.
Dianne Clavin Trent of Omaha was a 53-year-old former airline flight
attendant who had worked for 8 years in customer service at the Von
Maur store in the Westroads Mall. As we have now learned, Dianne did
not flee when she saw the gunman. She stood. She dialed 911 and gave a
description of him, and then he turned on her.
Gary Scharf, 48 years old, of Lincoln, Nebraska, my hometown, was an
agricultural chemical sales manager in the mall to buy a dress shirt.
When he heard the gunshots, Gary also called 911. It appears then that
he ran from where he was safe up to where the shooting was taking
place. As he ran up the escalator, he yelled out, ``I called 911'' in
an apparent attempt to distract the gunman. He also pulled a woman off
the escalator out of harm's way before the gunman turned on him.
Mr. Speaker, I happened to know Gary and I am proud to call him a
friend.
John McDonald was a 65-year-old grandfather and retired natural gas
company manager living in Council Bluffs. When the rampage began, John
took cover with his wife in the customer service area. As the gunman
entered the customer service area, John stood and confronted him, and
he too was shot. As now seems apparent, John's courage may have saved
the lives of many other people nearby.
Dianne, Gary and John, innocently shopping one minute, decided in an
instant to let go of a natural tendency to self-preservation and to
make a great sacrifice for their fellow man. Others may have acted
similarly in ways that we may never know.
Mr. Speaker, I thought you and the American people should know of
this new information. God bless all those who lost their lives or were
injured that day, and God bless their loved ones.
Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express the deep condolences
and regrets of, I know, the entire House for the Omaha tragedy,
particularly coming at this time when the whole country comes together
in great love and respect.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 856.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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