Man found guilty in 2005 Tacoma Mall shooting

TACOMA – Dominick S. Maldonado, the gunman who told 911 dispatchers to “follow the screams” before wounding seven people in a 2005 Tacoma Mall shooting rampage, was convicted Tuesday of attempted murder, assault and kidnapping.

Sentencing was set for Nov. 2 in Pierce County Superior Court. Deputy Prosecutor Phil Sorensen said Maldonado, 22, faces a sentence that could exceed 150 years.

Jurors found Maldonado guilty of 15 separate crimes related to the shooting, which erupted at the mall just days before Thanksgiving in 2005.

Four people were taken hostage during the melee, which lasted for several hours. The most seriously wounded victim was left partially paralyzed.

Maldonado’s defense had argued that he was in the throes of a mental disorder and shouldn’t be held responsible for the assault.

Prosecutors, however, said Maldonado planned the attack for weeks, and pointed to evidence that he called 911 just before the shooting and told a dispatcher to “follow the screams.”