Responders Describe Nebraska Shooting Scene

OMAHA, Neb. --

The first paramedics to arrive at Westroads Mall on Wednesday used terms usually reserved for war zones to describe what they saw inside the Von Maur store.

"It was a horrific scene," said Capt. Jim Boomsma. "(It was) like out of World War II movies -- very graphic."

Incident Cmdr. Joe Fuxa said the first reports had five people down inside the store. They soon discovered it was worse.

Boomsma said that some things are too graphic to describe. He said he saw 12 casualties on the third floor. It was his and his colleagues' job to separate the living from the dead.

"I started to see a few people moving around. Some ended up being dead. My partner took care of one patient. A firefighter started taking care of that patient," he said.

Boomsma said first responders learn to detach their feelings from the job at hand, but when it is over, the emotions kick in.

"Everybody goes through a grieving and healing process. Never forget," Boomsma said.

"I've never ever experienced anything like this, other than a mock drill," said paramedic shift commander Capt. Kingdon Hawes. "Let your training take over."

Fire and rescue personnel received immediate critical-instance stress debriefings, which help them deal with what they've seen.

Paramedics said on Wednesday that they went in and got the first victim from the first floor of Von Maur before they realized the building had not been secured. They also did not know, at first, whether there was a second shooter, so after that first rescue, police continued to accompany fire and rescue personnel.

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