On December 11, 2012, a shooting occurred at the Clackamas Town Center in Portland, Oregon, United States.

The gunman, 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts, ran into the shopping center wearing tactical clothing and a hockey mask and opened fire on shoppers and employees with a stolen Bushmaster AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, firing as many as 60 shots, killing two people and seriously wounding a third person before committing suicide. Roberts had no connection to any of his victims, and it was believed to be a random act of violence.

Shooting

Prior to the shooting, Roberts is stated to have stolen an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle from an acquaintance of his. He arrived at the Clackamas Town Center by car, parking it at the south side of the mall between a Macy's and a Chipotle store. He ran into the mall through a department store at around 3:25 pm, wearing a white hockey mask and a load-bearing vest and armed with the AR-15; he was also carrying several fully loaded magazines. About 10,000 people were inside the mall at the time. People who first saw him run into the mall believed the tactical clothing and hockey mask was a paintball outfit and that the rifle was a toy.

Standing in a large atrium, Roberts first opened fire at the mall's food court that was across from him at his left, after shouting, "I am the shooter!" 46-year-old father of two and youth sports coach Steven Forsyth, who was sitting by a rented kiosk and talking with his father on his cell phone, was shot in the head and killed. The next to be shot was 54-year-old shopper Cindy Ann Yuille, a hospice nurse and mother of two who was fatally shot in the back by what appeared to be a "stray bullet". 15-year-old Kristina Shevchenko, who was walking through the mall with her friend to reach the Town Center MAX station, was the final person to be shot; she received a bullet to the chest, but she survived and made it out of the mall, where she was treated for her gunshot wound.

At this point, hundreds of people fled the mall after hearing the gunshots, but many remained inside and dashed to cover. Roberts headed further toward the food court, firing at 16-year-old employee Alina Pavlenko, who was over 100 feet away, but missed. He then turned back and headed toward a JCPenney store. He attempted to reload the AR-15 at that point, but was unable to do so, the weapon having apparently jammed. During that time, Nick Meli, a concealed carry permit holder, drew his Glock 22, and took aim at Roberts but did not fire since there was an innocent person behind Roberts. Meli asserts that Roberts saw him, and that this may have contributed to Roberts' decision to commit suicide.

Roberts then ran into a back storage corridor, where he encountered employee Rok Sang Kim, who had returned from recycling boxes and therefore hadn't heard the gunfire. Roberts pointed the rifle at him, but didn't shoot him, instead running down a flight of stairs onto a lower floor. There, he committed suicide.

In the chaos of the first few minutes after the shooting, there were expectations of mass casualties. Police responded to the scene minutes later and spent the following hours searching the mall for hiding civilians, injured victims, and a possible second shooter, while dozens of ambulances arrived with the expectations of treating dozens of wounded victims, but treated only Kristina Shevchenko for a serious gunshot wound.

By the next day, the mall was cleared of civilians, but continued to remain under lockdown. It is believed Roberts targeted random people and did not have a specific target in mind.

Victims

Two people were killed in the shooting, 54-year-old Cindy Ann Yuille and 45-year-old Steven Forsyth. A third person, 15-year-old Kristina Shevchenko, was also shot in the chest and seriously injured, but survived. Several others also suffered minor bruises and scrapes suffered while fleeing.

Perpetrator

In the day following the shooting, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office identified the shooter as 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts (born March 16, 1990), who lived in the Lents neighborhood in southeast Portland. Raised by his aunt, Roberts' biological mother died at the time of his birth, and he had never met his father.

He attended Milwaukie High School in Milwaukie, Oregon for the first three years and later transferred during his senior year to Oregon City High School in Oregon City, Oregon, graduating in 2008. He attended Clackamas Community College in 2009. Two years prior to the shooting, Roberts worked at a gyro restaurant in downtown Portland.

Roberts lived with a few roommates in a house ten minutes away from the shopping center. He had plans of joining the United States Marine Corps, but he abandoned these dreams after a bicycle accident that broke his foot. Prior to the shooting, he had broken up with his girlfriend, sold his belongings, resigned from his job, and alleged that he was planning to move to Hawaii.

Reaction

When President Barack Obama delivered a speech regarding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting (the same day of that shooting), he mentioned other shooting rampages that occurred in the U.S. within previous months, and including a reference to the Clackamas Town Center attack.

Wikipedia.org

Oregon mall shooting appears to be lone, random rampage

By Teresa Carson - ChicagoTribune.com

December 12, 2012

CLACKAMAS, Oregon (Reuters) - A masked gunman who opened fire in a crowded Oregon mall in the middle of the holiday shopping season, killing two people and wounding a third before taking his own life, appears to have acted alone in a random rampage, police said on Wednesday.

Investigators identified the man behind Tuesday's shooting as Jacob Tyler Roberts, 22, who they said had no significant criminal history and acted without any obvious warning, though his Facebook page indicated an affinity for guns and alcohol.

Sergeant Adam Phillips, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said investigators were not aware of any signs that Roberts was preparing to act as he did.

"Every indicator is that he acted solely alone in carrying out this heinous and tragic crime," he said.

Detectives contacted several members of the suspected gunman's family as they began their investigation, but authorities gave little information about Roberts' personal background, employment history or education.

A photograph of Roberts displayed by police showed a young man with longish, straight black hair, a light mustache and goatee, and ring-sized discs in each of his pierced earlobes.

Roberts' Facebook page offered few additional insights into the man suspected in the murderous rampage.

He described himself in a brief biography as "a bit of an adrenaline junkie," and as "a pretty funny person that takes sarcasm to the max." Professing an independent streak, Roberts said: "I'm the kind of person that is going to do what I want."

He starts out jokingly introducing himself as "Jake and I'm an alcoholic," then goes on to write that in addition to "hanging out with my friends" he likes to "maybe get a little drunk every now and then."

His profile includes a snapshot of a person firing a pistol at two outdoor targets, though the face is not visible because the photo was taken from over the subject's shoulder.

In addition to "shooting," he lists river rafting and camping among his interests. He also counts the cable television dramas "Dexter," about a serial killer, and "Breaking Bad," about a high school teacher who becomes a methamphetamine kingpin, among his favorites, along with "South Park."

Sheriff: Heroes stepped up during deadly mall shooting

By Steve Benham - Katu.com

December 12, 2012

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said there were many who jumped into action to help Tuesday afternoon when a lone gunman opened fire in a crowded mall, killing two and seriously injuring another.

The shooter then took his own life by apparently shooting himself, police said.

"We had some true heroes stepping up," Roberts said during a news conference nearly five hours after the first shots were reported at the Clackamas Town Center at about 3:30 p.m.

Some emergency room nurses and a physician were at the mall when the gunfire erupted, and they immediately went to work to provide care to the wounded, he said. Others, including everyday citizens, also worked to help get the 10,000 people out of the mall.

"We have a young lady at the hospital fighting for her life right now," Roberts said about the seriously injured victim who was taken to the hospital. She was listed in serious condition Tuesday night.

Roberts did not offer specifics about individuals who provided on-scene help.

"The mall is supposed to be a place that we can all take our families. ... These things aren't supposed to happen," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families."

While police say they believe the gunman killed himself and no law enforcement officers fired a shot, Roberts said responding officers handled the situation admirably.

"I'm really proud of all the different agencies that came together to really step up and put their lives on the line," he said, adding that there were law enforcement officers at the mall minutes after the first reports of shots.

Four SWAT teams were quickly deployed, "basically to hunt down this guy in the mall," Roberts said.

At the height of the terror, over 100 officers from nearly every government agency – from the city to the federal levels – responded.

Now in the aftermath, the focus for police turns to the investigation. The job for investigators is to sort through the speculation to find the facts. It will be complicated due in part to the size of the crime scene – a mall which is about 1.4 million square feet.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Adam Phillips said investigators will work to sift through dozens of interviews with witnesses to create the most complete picture as possible as to what happened.

"There is a lot of speculation going on about what happened (and) what the circumstances were," he said. "Active shooter situations and tense situations like this get perceived many ways. ... We as law enforcement officers – our job is to collect all that information and make it into a cohesive idea of what actually occurred."

Police have tentatively identified the shooter, an adult male, but Phillips said they would not release his name until they were 100-percent sure of his identity.

Police also have not released the names of the victims, pending family notifications.

Because the investigation is in its infancy, Phillips said he could not delve into what type of weapon the shooter used or how many shots were fired.

"We're (the sheriff's office) are going to report on what we actually know, not speculation," he said.

He said the belongings that were left behind by mall patrons are secure, and the sheriff's office and Clackamas Town Center officials will set up a process on how they can be retrieved. He urged patience, however, because other aspects of the tragedy are of higher priority.

Phillips encouraged those who were witnesses and had not been interviewed to contact the sheriff's office at 503-655-8211. Or they can go to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office website for more information.

Teams were still searching every inch of the mall late Tuesday night to ensure everyone is out and that the mall is safe. The mall will remain closed through Wednesday, police said.

Oregon Mall Shooter Jacob Roberts Quit His Job, Seemed 'Numb' Before Attack

By Near Karlinsky and Colleen Curry - ABCNews.go.com

December 12, 2012

In the days before he stole a semiautomatic weapon and stormed into an Oregon shopping mall, killing two people in a shooting spree, Jacob Roberts quit his job, sold his belongings and began to seem "numb" to those closest to him.

Roberts' ex-girlfriend, Hannah Patricia Sansburn, 20, told ABC News today that the man who donned a hockey mask and opened fire on Christmas shoppers was typically happy and liked to joke around, but abruptly changed in the week before the shooting.

Roberts unleashed a murderous volley of gunfire on the second floor of the Clackamas Town Center on Tuesday while wearing the mask and black clothing, and carrying an AR-15 semiautomatic weapon and "several" magazines full of ammunition. He ended his barrage by walking down to the first floor of the mall and committing suicide.

"I don't understand," Sansburn said. "I was just with him. I just talked to him. I didn't believe it was him at all. Not one part of me believed it."

She said that in recent weeks, Roberts quit his job at a gyro shop in downtown Portland and sold all of his belongings, telling her that he was moving to Hawaii. He had even purchased a ticket.

She now wonders if he was really planning to move.

"He was supposed to catch a flight Saturday and I texted him, and asked how his flight went, and he told me, 'oh, I got drunk and didn't make the flight,'" she said. "And then this happens... It makes me think, was he even planning on going to Hawaii? He quit his job, sold all of his things."

Roberts described himself on his Facebook page as an "adrenaline junkie," and said he is the kind of person who thinks, "I'm going to do what I want."

Roberts, who attended Clackamas Community college, posted a picture of himself on his Facebook page firing a gun at a target. His Facebook photo showed graffiti in which the words "Follow Your Dreams" were painted over with the word "Cancelled."

Sansburn said the pair had dated for nearly a year but had broke up over the summer. Throughout their relationship, she had never seen him act violently or get angry.

"Jake was never the violent type. He didn't go out of his way to try to hurt people or upset people. His main goal was to make you laugh, smile, make you feel comfortable. I never would have guessed him to do anything like this ever," she said.

"You can't reconcile the differences. I hate him for what he did, but I can't hate the person I knew because it was nothing like the person who would go into a mall and go on a rampage. I would never associate the two at all."

The last time she saw him, which was last week, he "seemed numb," and she didn't understand why, she said.

"I just talked to him, stayed the night with him, and he just seemed numb if anything. He's usually very bubbly and happy, and I asked him why, what had changed, and said 'nothing.' He just had so much he had to do before he went to Hawaii that he was trying to distance himself from Portland," Sansburn said.

Sansburn said the last message she sent Roberts was a text, asking him to stay, and saying she didn't want him to leave. He replied "I'm sorry," with a sad face emoticon.

Police are still seeking information about what Roberts was doing in the days leading up to the shooting. They said today they believe Roberts stole the gun he used in the rampage from someone he knew. They have searched his home and his car for other clues into his motive.

Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts said earlier today on "Good Morning America" that he believes Roberts went into the mall with the goal of killing as many people as he could.

"I believe, at least from the information that's been provided to me at this point in time, it really was a killing of total strangers. To my knowledge at this point in time he was really trying, I think, to kill as many people as possible."

Sansburn said she has not talked to police.

Mall Shooter Told Ex-Girlfriend He Was Moving to Hawaii

Roberts' mother, Tami Roberts, released a statement through a friend today saying she had no explanation of her son's behavior.

"Tami Roberts wishes to express her shock and grief at the events at Clackamas Town Center Tuesday," the friend said, reading from a statement outside of Tami Roberts' home.

The friend noted that Tami raised Roberts, but was not his biological mother. Sansburn said that Roberts' biological mother had died when he was very young.

"She has no understanding or explanation for her son's behavior...It's so out of his character," the friend said.

Officials from the Oregon City School District, where Roberts graduated from Oregon City High School, were also surprised at the news.

"This news is very shocking to those who knew Jacob while at OCHS. He was known as a soft spoken and polite young man who was often eager to be helpful. The motive for such a horrific act is likely to remain a mystery to us all," the district said in a statement.

Roberts had attended the school for only his senior year. He spent three years at Milwaukie High School, where officials described him as an "average student with average grades."

He had no disciplinary record at the school, but chose to transfer for his senior year to Oregon City High School, according to Joe Krumm, an administrator at the North Clackamas School District. Krumm did not know why he transferred, and said that in all, Roberts did not stand out in memory for anything in particular.