10 killed after gunmen go on rampage

A GUNMAN in a trench coat fired a shotgun randomly at shoppers in a mall in Utah on Monday, killing five and wounding four before being killed by police.

And in Philadelphia, a business meeting turned deadly when a gunman,who was apparently angry over money, killed three men and critically injured a fourth before exchanging gunfire with police and then killing himself, police said.

The Utah gunman, whose name was not released, was also armed with a handgun and had several rounds of ammunition, Salt Lake City police Detective Robin Snyder said. No motive has yet been determined.

Two women aged 28, a 52-year-old man, a man aged 24 and a 15-year-old girl were killed in the attack, Snyder said. Four were taken to hospital — two in critical condition and two in serious condition.

Police spent hours searching the Trolley Square mall, looking for shoppers and workers who were hiding after the attack.

Marie Smith, 23, a manager at the Bath & Body Works store, saw the gunman through the window. She said he raised his gun and fired at a young woman approaching from behind.

“His expression stayedtotally calm. He didn’t seem upset, or like he was on a rampage,” said Smith, who crawled to safety in anemployee toilet with others. She said the gunman looked like “an average Joe”.

Matt Lund was in the store managed by his wife, Barbara, when he heard the first shots. The couple and three others hid in a store room.

“We heard them say, ‘Police — drop your weapon’ Then we heard shotgun fire. Then there was a barrage of gunfire,” said Mr Lund, 44.

They said officers treated everyone like suspects – ordering those hiding in store rooms, toilets or under stairwells to lie on the floor with their hands on their heads until police were sure no one posed a threat.

The two-storey mall is a refurbished trolley barn built in 1908, with winding hallways and wrought-iron balconies and about 80 shops.

In the Philadelphia incident no police officers were hurt in Monday night’sexchange of gunfire at an office park, city police Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross said.

Police, who entered a conference room about 100 yards from the gunfight and found the bodies, described the scene as “utter chaos”, he said.