Police identify suspect killed by officers in shooting at Omaha Target
Omaha NE February 5 2023 The identity of a man who was killed after firing shots into a Target store in Omaha has been released.
On Wednesday, Omaha police identified the man as 32-year-old Joseph Jones of Omaha.
According to a department news release, Jones purchased the rifle used in the incident at a Cabela’s sporting goods store four days prior to the shooting at Target.
Omaha police say just before noon on Tuesday officers were dispatched to the Target store near 180th Street and West Center Road for reports of shots fired in the store.
A Nebraska trooper and Omaha police officers arrived and fatally shot the suspect, officials said.
Police said Jones had an AR-15-style rifle and 13 loaded magazines of ammunition.
The officer involved in the deadly shooting was identified as Officer Brian Vanderheiden. He has served with Omaha police for 20 years.
“He has been placed on paid administrative leave per department policy,” the release states.
Police were planning to allow customers who fled the shooting scene to return to the store briefly to obtain personal items they left behind.
The Target will remain closed for shopping while police continue to investigate the deadly incident.
Tuesday’s incident was the second fatal officer-involved shooting in Omaha in less than a day.
Two Omaha officers were hurt in a shooting with a man at a storage facility Monday night. The 38-year-old killed in the exchange of gunfire was wanted on two warrants stemming from incidents involving a woman he was in a relationship with.
