OMAHA, Neb. -- A gunman who some described as troubled and others say was funny opened fire in a busy mall near Omaha Wednesday, killing eight people before turning the weapon on himself.

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Five others were said to be wounded, two critically.

The shooter at Westroads Mall was identified by the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office as Robert Hawkins, 20, of Bellevue, Neb., TV station KETV reported.

ABC News has confirmed with two sources that the gun used at Westroads Mall was AK 47/SKS-style assault rifle with two magazines taped together found at the scene. ABC reported that taping magazines together is a technique that allows the shooter to reload more quickly.

Hawkins had been arrested on at least two misdemeanors in November and was due in court this month.

Sarpy deputies said they were getting a warrant to search Hawkins' home.

Shortly after the shooting, Hawkins' mother walked into its office with a note that "could be interpreted as suicidal," the sheriff's office said.

KETV reported that the note left with the Sarpy sheriff's office said Hawkins wanted to "go out in style."

It also reportedly said Hawkins was "going to go out and be famous."

Yost said Sarpy County is working with Omaha police.

A friend of Hawkins told KETV that Hawkins had been on antidepressants, staying with friends and bouncing from job to job.

Staying With Friend

KETV reported that it had talked with a woman named Deborah, at whose home Hawkins was staying. He was apparently friends with Deborah's sons, and she offered her home to give him stability.

She was quoted as calling Hawkins, who she called Robbie, a troubled kid who had recently been fired from a job at McDonald's.

Deborah said that she believed Hawkins stole the gun from his stepfather.

Deborah said Hawkins was coming out of his room Wednesday morning when she last saw him.

"He said he'd gotten fired and was pretty upset and said, 'This is the only way,' and we tried to talk to him," Deborah said. "He was just a very troubled -- I had no idea that he was this troubled."

Deborah said she saw Hawkins with a gun Tuesday night and thought he and her sons were going hunting, which they did quite often.

'Anything But A Terrorist'

Another friend, Andrew Bigler, said that Hawkins was "an awesome kid" and that he loved him like a brother.

"Robbie was anything but a terrorist," he said, and said he didn't think Hawkins was filled with anger, just that he was an average teenager with average problems.

Other friends told KETV that Hawkins was a funny person who liked to make others laugh.

Victim 'Exceedingly Lucky'

One shooting victim -- a lawyer who was hit in the arm and finger -- said he feels "exceedingly lucky" to have lived through the terrifying scene.

Jeff Schaffart was shopping for a dress for his daughter to see Santa on Wednesday night. The child, 2, was not with him, but his wife was. He said he was shot from behind. Just before he realized he was hit, Schaffart said, he heard something.

"I heard gunshots. I initially thought they were some kind of balloons popping or construction. Then I heard people starting to panic, and they said, 'Get down. Get down,'" Schaffart said.

He said he went through a women's restroom as his wife hid nearby. Schaffart said he realized he'd been shot when he saw blood on his arm.

"There was a woman there with her baby and we basically stayed there for, I believe, a couple minutes. It sounded like the shots had subsided. I went to find my wife. She wouldn't come out the area she was hiding in," Schaffart said.

Timeline

The shooting happened at about 2 p.m., with the first call coming to police at 1:42 p.m., KETV reported.

Shoppers described a scene of chaos and panic when the shooting started, with people sprinting through stores and corridors, and some hiding in closets.

Jennifer Kramer, a witness, told KETV that she heard 35 to 40 shots as she was taking cover inside the mall. Kramer's mother, who was with her, said she "just kept hoping God would spare us."

Keith Fidler, a Von Maur store employee, told The Associated Press he heard a burst of five to six shots followed by 15 to 20 more shots. Fidler said he huddled in the corner of the men's clothing department with about a dozen other employees until police yelled to get out of the store.

KETV reported that the shooting started near the customer service area on the third level of the store. The Associated Press reported that witnesses said the shooter opened fire with a rifle, firing down from a third-floor balcony.

One witness told KETV that she saw bodies and blood in a store. Another said she saw a tall gunman in the children's department of a department store. She said he was a tall man, holding his arm up in the air and firing.

First responders could be seen escorting people from the building. Its surrounding parking lots were filled with emergency vehicles, evacuated shoppers and onlookers.

The eight victims have not been identified. Five other people were injured in the shooting and two are listed in critical condition at an area hospital, police Sgt. Teresa Negron said.

She said it appeared the gunman took his own life.

Mall Info

The Westwood Mall, in Douglas County, has more than 135 stores and restaurants, according to the Web site for General Growth Properties, the manager of the mall. It gets 14.5 million visitors every year, according to the Web site.

Police said the mall has been evacuated and will be closed Thursday.

Bush In Omaha Earlier

President George W. Bush, who left Omaha just an hour before the shooting started, sent a message to Omahans on Wednesday night.

"The president is deeply saddened by the shootings in Omaha, Neb., earlier today," a statement said. "His thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families this evening. Having just visited with so many members of the community in Omaha today, the president is confident that they will pull together to comfort one another as they deal with this terrible tragedy."