On February 12, 2007, Salt Lake City Experienced One of the Worst Murder Incidents in the History of the City. Eighteen Year Ol
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On February 12, 2007, Salt Lake City experienced one of the worst murder incidents in the history of the City. Eighteen year old Sulejmen Talovic fatally shot five victims and seriously wounded four others in a shooting spree at the Trolley Square Mall. Sulejmen Talovic was shot and killed by responding police officers. The nature of this crime and the apparent lack of motive or pre-existing connection between the victims and Talovic evoked fear, outrage, grief and anger throughout not only the City of Salt Lake, but throughout our entire nation. Law enforcement officials both locally and nationally obtained a great deal of investigative evidence through extensive interviews with victims, witnesses and family members. Surprisingly law enforcement was able to learn relatively little about Sulejmen Talovic and his motive for committing these atrocities. The information that follows is a compilation of these investigative leads. It is presented to supply information as to the events of that day and the days leading up to it and to describe the scope of the investigation in an attempt to bring about a conclusion and closure for all involved. We ask all readers of this document to respect the privacy of all those involved, especially the victims of this horrible crime, their families and the family of Sulejmen Talovic. During the immediate response to Trolley Square, numerous agencies from throughout Salt Lake County responded and played an active role in searching and securing the massive crime scene. Those agencies included the Sandy City Police Department, West Valley City Police Department, Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Taylorsville Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol and US Marshall’s Office. Many other agencies assisted the Police Department with the investigation and follow-up of this event, including the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, District Attorney’s Office Investigations Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Valley Mental Health. The professionalism and dedicated service of these organizations and their employees proved invaluable. We recognize and thank them for their efforts. Summary On Monday, February 12, 2007, at approximately 6:42 pm, Sulejmen Talovic drove his vehicle to the upper level of the west parking structure at the Trolley Square mall. Talovic parked his vehicle facing west. Talovic exited the vehicle wearing a backpack full of ammunition, carrying a Mossberg 12 gauge pump action shotgun with a pistol grip and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber five shot revolver. Talovic confronted his first two victims, Jeffrey Walker (52 years) and Jeffrey’s son AJ Walker (16 years) approximately 10 yards east of Talovic’s parked vehicle. Talovic fired the shotgun at both Jeffrey and AJ. Jeffrey was struck in the head and fell to the ground. AJ was struck in the head and the ankle but Trolley Square Shooting Incident Investigative Summary Page 1 of 10 was able to run back a few feet to the stairs leading to the lower parking level. Once AJ entered the lower parking level, he was assisted by other citizens. As AJ was seeking assistance, Talovic approached Jeffrey Walker and fired multiple rounds from the shotgun, striking him in the back and head. The injuries to Jeffrey Walker were fatal. The following final pathologic diagnosis was provided from the Medical Examiner’s office for Jeffrey Walker: Examinations by: Dr. Edward Leis Manner of Death: Homicide Immediate Cause of death: Shotgun wounds to the head, arm, and back After shooting Jeffrey and AJ Walker, Talovic walked east towards the west entrance of the mall. At 6:44 pm, the Salt Lake City Police Department Dispatch Center received a phone call stating a person had been shot in the west parking lot of Trolley Square. Units were dispatched with this information. Sulejmen Talovic continued towards the west doors. As Talovic approached the doors, the third victim, Shaun Munns (34 years) saw Talovic with the shot gun and heard two shots, both of which struck Shaun from approximately 30 yards away. The impact caused Shaun to fall to the ground. Shaun got up and ran away. Sulejmen Talovic approached the mall doors. At the same time, a teenage girl was walking towards the doors from inside the mall to determine the cause of the commotion. She observed Talovic shoot twice with a shotgun at the doors she was standing in front of. The glass of both the inside and outside doors shattered but the teenager was not hit. She ran into a store and hid. Numerous other individuals fled the area. Sulejmen Talovic entered the mall and approached the west stairs. An unarmed security guard at the top of the stairs turned and ran east as Talovic raised the shotgun and fired up the stairs toward the security guard. The security guard was not hit, but felt the force of the shot and was showered with debris from the ceiling. Sulejmen Talovic continued walking east on the main level hallway. Talovic encountered his fourth victim, Vanessa Quinn (29 years) running westbound. Talovic raised the .38 caliber hand gun and fired, hitting Vanessa in the chest. Vanessa fell to the ground. Talovic walked toward Vanessa and shot her in the back of the head with the .38 caliber hand gun. The following final pathologic diagnosis was provided from the Medical Examiner’s office for Vanessa Quinn: Examination by: Dr. Edward Leis Manner of Death: Homicide Immediate Cause of death: Gunshot wounds to the head and chest Trolley Square Shooting Incident Investigative Summary Page 2 of 10 The Salt Lake City Police Dispatch Center received numerous calls between 6:44 pm and 6:48 pm stating there was a man shooting people in Trolley Square. The Dispatch Center broadcast information of an “active shooter” inside the mall, including a physical and clothing description of the suspect. Sulejmen Talovic walked around the corner of the Cabin Fever store toward the south, stepping past the doorway. For an unknown reason, he stopped, stepped back and entered the store. The fifth victim Carolyn Tuft (44 years) was crouching down near a display table at the center/front of the store. Carolyn watched Talovic walk into the store towards her. Talovic shot Carolyn in the left side/arm with the shotgun, causing her to fall to the ground. The sixth victim Stacy Hanson (53 years) was crouching near the south/east glass wall. Stacy spoke to Talovic saying, “Everyone just wants to go home.” Talovic told him to shut up and shot him in the lower abdomen and arm with the shotgun. The glass wall was also hit, shattering. Stacy fell, face down into the glass. Talovic then approached victim seven Kirsten Hinkley (15 years and daughter of Carolyn Tuft), victim number eight Brad Frantz (24 years) and victim number nine Teresa Ellis (29 years). All three were lying on the ground in the south front of the store. Kirsten was shot by Talovic in the torso, Brad was shot in the forehead and Teresa was shot in the right arm, torso and leg. All three victims were shot with the shot gun. Sulejmen Talovic apparently did not see a customer standing behind a nearby rack of clothes, even though her legs were plainly visible. An employee of the store had hidden in a back room after the north glass wall was shot out. Sulejmen Talovic left the store and stood in the hallway reloading. Carolyn crawled to where her daughter, Kirsten lay. Talovic re-entered Cabin Fever and shot Carolyn in the back, Kirsten in the head and Teresa in the head with the shot gun. The following final pathologic diagnosis was provided from the Medical Examiner’s office for Kirstin Hinkley: Examination by: Dr. Todd Grey Manner of Death: Homicide Immediate Cause of death: Gunshot wounds to the head and left flank The following final pathologic diagnosis was provided from the Medical Examiner’s office for Teresa Ellis: Examination by: Dr. Todd Grey Manner of Death: Homicide Immediate Cause of death: Gunshot wounds to the head, right arm, flank and thigh Trolley Square Shooting Incident Investigative Summary Page 3 of 10 The following final pathologic diagnosis was provided from the Medical Examiner’s office for Brad Franz: Examination by: Dr. Todd Grey Manner of Death: Homicide Immediate Cause of death: Gunshot wounds to the head Sulejmen Talovic was leaving Cabin Fever just as off duty Ogden Police Officer Ken Hammond and his wife were walking on the second level of the mall. Officer Hammond observed the victims in Cabin Fever and Talovic exiting the business with the shotgun. Officer Hammond drew his weapon, requesting his wife return to Rodizio Grill and call 911. Employees and customers on the second level of the mall witnessed Officer Hammond with his weapon, at which time Officer Hammond began to identify himself as a police officer. Talovic fired the shot gun at Officer Hammond. Officer Hammond began to move north on the west side of the second level. Talovic fired the shot gun again at Officer Hammond. Barrett Dodds was in Haroon’s (upper level above Pottery Barn Kids) when he realized someone was shooting in the mall. Barrett warned business occupants to lock their doors as he made his way east to Rodizio Grill and back along the south side of the second level hallway. After shooting at Officer Hammond, Sulejmen Talovic walked around the central hallway area. Talovic fired rounds from the shotgun at Dodds and two Rodizio Grill employees from near the south entrance to Pottery Barn Kids. Barrett witnessed Talovic walk towards Stacy Hansen and shoot him again in the back.