Photo: Omaha Police Department
(Omaha, NE) -- Omaha Police release a timeline of events leading up to a fatal officer-involved shooting at a west Omaha Super Target.
Police say 32 year old Joseph Jones fired several rounds inside the Super Target at 178th and West Center Tuesday afternoon, before being killed by a police officer.
- 11:49 a.m. - Jones arrives at Target in a personal vehicle.
- 11:56 a.m. - Jones removes a cardboard shipping box from his vehicle and walks into the southeast grocery entrance wearing a dark colored coat and hat.
- 11:57 a.m. - Jones walks to the pharmacy area. Shipping box was later found in this area.
- 11:58 a.m. - Jones points the rifle at a Target employee. He then points the rifle in the air firing one round. Walks toward the front of the store and fires another two rounds.
- 11:59 a.m. - Jones takes off his coat. He fires the rifle toward the self-checkout. He then fires at a drink cooler.
- 11:59 a.m. - Douglas County 911 receives the first 911 call to 17810 West Center Road for a “shooting”.
- 11:59 a.m. - First police unit is assigned the 911 call.
- 12:00 p.m. - Jones enters the grocery entrance vestibule and fires multiple rounds inside the vestibule.
- 12:02 p.m. - Jones briefly exits the store and then re-enters. He fires another round.
- 12:04 p.m. - Jones walks west through the store still holding the rifle.
- 12:05 p.m. - Officer Brian Vanerheiden and a Nebraska State Trooper immediately enter the southwest GM entrance and make contact with the suspect who is still holding the rifle.
- 12:06 p.m. - Suspect is shot by Officer Vanderheiden.
OPD says Officer Vanderheiden and the NSP Trooper gave Mr. Jones over 20 loud verbal commands to drop the rifle. Mr. Jones said, “Come on!” three times during the verbal commands while refusing to drop the rifle. Mr. Jones then said, “I’ll kill you!”. Investigators say Officer Vanderheiden then fired one round from his service handgun striking Mr. Jones, ultimately killing him. This entire interaction lasts approximately 15 seconds. Other responding law enforcement had arrived and a search for additional suspects and possible victims began throughout the store.
Police estimate that there were roughly 250 guests and employees inside Target when this shooting occurred.
Pursuant to Nebraska Revised Statute 29-1401, this case will be presented to a grand jury once the investigation is completed. The law requires a grand jury be summoned when a death occurs while being apprehended or in custody by law enforcement.