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Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > Police in Utah seize guns and holsters from Bosnian Muslim shooters home after father denied knowing he owned any guns

Police in Utah seize guns and holsters from Bosnian Muslim shooters home after father denied knowing he owned any guns

February 21, 2007

More than 90 shells left: Police are tracing Trolley Square shooter's guns; videotape seized

By Ben Winslow and Pat Reavy
Deseret Morning News Sulejman Talovic still had more than 90 shotgun shells left to fire when he was shot 11 times by police during a shootout inside the Trolley Square mall.
Sulejman Talovic Sulejman Talovic Salt Lake City police revealed new details as their investigation into the mall massacre continues. Last week's shooting rampage killed six people, including the gunman, and left four others wounded.
The director of the state crime lab said Tuesday that Talovic had 11 gunshot wounds. However, the Utah Department of Public Safety refused to release any further details.
Police told the Deseret Morning News the 12-gauge shotgun used by Talovic was purchased legally in Salt Lake City on Nov. 13, 2006 — five weeks after his birthday. Detectives would not say which store sold the 18-year-old Talovic the weapon.
Talovic's family has insisted they did not know he owned any guns. However, when police searched their home just after the shooting, they seized holsters for both the pistol and the shotgun.
Police also seized a videotape that belonged to Sulejman.
"They took the tape from the camera, but we don't know why," Talovic's aunt, Ajka Omerovic, told the Deseret Morning News, adding that she did not know what was on the tape.
Describing what else they took, Omerovic said police left the house with his cell phone, identification, jacket and hat.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it has received some results back on traces of the weapons' serial numbers.
"We have been able to get some results. We're tracking down leads," said ATF Resident Agent-in-Charge Lori Dyer. "We're tracking down from where the trace results left off."
Talovic also used a .38-caliber handgun during the killing spree. Salt Lake City police said they still do not know from where that gun was obtained.

A friend of Talovic's told the Deseret Morning News on Tuesday that the young man showed an interest in guns — but no more than any other teenager.
"He never said he wanted to kill somebody," said the friend, who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation. "The guys I know, they're interested in guns, but they never say they're interested in doing something bad."
The friend described Talovic as "quiet" and "different from other people." At parties with other Bosnians, he would laugh and joke but was also somewhat distant.
"He wouldn't tell you what he thinks. He was just off into himself," the friend said.
Those who knew Talovic said he was not someone they would have predicted to go on a shooting rampage.
"Something maybe got in his mind that he wants to do something," his friend said.
The key focus of homicide detectives is trying to learn why the tragedy happened.
"Motive is very important to us right now," Salt Lake City police detective Jeff Bedard said Tuesday. "We're trying to give the victims and everyone some understanding as to why."
Police said Talovic drove to the Trolley Square mall on Feb. 12 in a green Mazda 626. Detectives did not find anything in the car that would help them determine a motive or really anything of evidentiary value, Bedard said.
Wearing a backpack full of ammunition and a bandolier of shotgun shells around his waist, Talovic rampaged through the mall, killing five and wounding four others. Witnesses described his expression as calm, with a bit of a smirk on his face.
Talovic confronted an off-duty police officer, who engaged him in a shootout until Salt Lake City police arrived and helped end the killing spree.
When Talovic didn't return home early Tuesday morning, his father, Suljo, called police at the request of his mother.
"She was wondering if he was one of the victims," Omerovic said.
The police showed up with the news that not only was Talovic dead but he was the killer. Sabira had such a terrible reaction, she had to be hospitalized...

(click link to continue) http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660197416,00.html

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