Prosecutors: Gig Harbor market shooter intent on killing someone
GIG HARBOR, Wash. -- A 20-year-old woman accused of wounding three men in a shooting at a Gig Harbor store Saturday told detectives she hated men and wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone before taking her own life, according to charging documents filed Monday.
Laura K. Sorenson is now facing two attempted murder charges and an assault charge in the shooting at the Peninsula Market.
Prosecutors allege Sorenson walked into the market just before 1 p.m. and started firing at customers before being tackled to the ground.
According to court documents, witnesses told police that Sorenson said something about "killing" people prior to pulling out a revolver from her purse and firing four to five shots. Two men were wounded while a third was injured by bullet fragments, prosecutors said.
Witnesses also reported the woman told at least two other women nearby that she didn't intend to hurt them, prosecutors said.
The first victim, a 77-year-old man, was crouched down when Sorenson pointed the gun and fired at him, wounding him in the upper leg, documents said. Another victim, a 35-year-old man, was shot in the right arm and the bullet went into his chest. Prosecutors say that victim was in critical but stable condition.
A woman who came into the store was able to hold Sorenson down until police arrived, documents said. Investigators said the woman had already run out of bullets and put down the gun.
After the shooting, Sorenson revealed to detectives she has a mental condition and is on medication, documents said, adding she wanted to kill herself and wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone else first.
She told detectives she went to her grandmother's home, grabbed a revolver, then went to the market, according to court documents.
Sorensen also told detectives she had been molested as a young child and hated men, prosecutors said.
Laura K. Sorenson is now facing two attempted murder charges and an assault charge in the shooting at the Peninsula Market.
Prosecutors allege Sorenson walked into the market just before 1 p.m. and started firing at customers before being tackled to the ground.
According to court documents, witnesses told police that Sorenson said something about "killing" people prior to pulling out a revolver from her purse and firing four to five shots. Two men were wounded while a third was injured by bullet fragments, prosecutors said.
Witnesses also reported the woman told at least two other women nearby that she didn't intend to hurt them, prosecutors said.
The first victim, a 77-year-old man, was crouched down when Sorenson pointed the gun and fired at him, wounding him in the upper leg, documents said. Another victim, a 35-year-old man, was shot in the right arm and the bullet went into his chest. Prosecutors say that victim was in critical but stable condition.
A woman who came into the store was able to hold Sorenson down until police arrived, documents said. Investigators said the woman had already run out of bullets and put down the gun.
After the shooting, Sorenson revealed to detectives she has a mental condition and is on medication, documents said, adding she wanted to kill herself and wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone else first.
She told detectives she went to her grandmother's home, grabbed a revolver, then went to the market, according to court documents.
Sorensen also told detectives she had been molested as a young child and hated men, prosecutors said.
Huh... Usually other people tell ME I have a mental condition.Â
attention *hore
Do people with real mental conditions usually mention that right off to police? Sounds like she planned ahead for her defense.
 @Anarchy  The colorado shooter knew how to act mentally ill (open eyes wide like he's trying to focus). In her case, she did seem like she knew what she was planning. Especially before shooting the victims in the store saying "screw you pedophile", just another trigger happy person claiming to be mentally ill.
@angkor_warrior Yes, totally agree she was trying to set this up for her defense. And even if she has some mental disorder, it depends on if she knew right from wrong. And it sounds like she did.
She should have just gone ahead and shot herself. I don't care if she was molested or had mental issues, that doesn't excuse shooting people that had nothing to do with her traumas. I'm sick of the mentally ill using all kinds of crap excuses for the chaos they create.
@dgruntled She would have killed herself but she rain out of bullets.
*ran
Exactly spongebobsqueeze
Why don't these people shoot the ones that have caused them grief instead of completely innocent people. Some of these people could actually be of benefit to society if they would just target the people that destroyed their lives.
Probaby didn't have access to whoever caused her grief so she just finally snapped and lashed out at anyone close.
Maybe some of these people watched Gob Bless America and are finally getting the right idea.lol
I could've been grocery shopping with my kids and end up dead. Now even the markets aren't safe? Schools, state parks, everywhere. The violence keeps spreading & it's not slowing down.Â
 @angkor_warrior No place is safe, that's why you should have protection.
Too bad she didn't save a bullet for herself.
Apparently her plan from the get go was to commit a crime and use the whole "im not mentally stable" excuse to get out of trouble. Why else would you say that from the get go? Shoot even the Batman shooter hasn't came out and said that was his plan also yet... Girl you need help and not the help they provide at the mental hospital, but the kind they provide in solitary confinement. So a man may or may not have hurt you in the past, but damn thats this crazy world we live in... 2 wrongs dont make a right. Life goes on... I dont care what anyone has done to you in the past, thats no EXCUSE to take a life. No one may have died this time cause your aim sucks but I gaurentee if she is let off this will happen again the next time a boy breaks her heart and possibly may even be worse.
Hey why didnt she shoot the guy who molested her?
What a pathetic excuse. She is a murderer who didn't succeed. Many murderers shoot people then take their own lives. She only different from any man who walks into a building and open fires in that she didn't manage to finish the job. Lock her up for life. She is a would be murderer no matter what flag she wants to say it's under.
@super Lock her up? Put her to death. Why should we pay to house her for the next who knows how long? She showed intent to kill, she attempted to kill, I don't see much point in her wasting oxygen that you and I could use.
Well, in her defense, I'm sure it was just a matter of time before those men she shot did something cruel to women, it's just what we do. Â It sure is rare to find man haters on the KP.
@JeeperÂ
"Well, in her defense, I'm sure it was just a matter of time before those men she shot did something cruel to women, it's just what we do." Seriously? I can only assume you are speaking for yourself, and possibly some freak that you assisted in spawning and corrupted with some version of "reality" on how others are supposed to be treated, you are not speaking for the majority of men. While I don't want to belittle anyone's pain from wrongs that were done to them in the past, as a society, we cannot allow the excuse of "I was abused" to allow for crimes against society. I know many people (men and women) that were abused, both sexually and physically that have moved on with their life (I even married a wonderful woman that was sexually abused by her "father" and various caregivers while she was in foster care). These people have made the decision to not label themselves as a victim and embrace a life where they are in control.
 @Conservative liberalÂ
Good for your wife. You are right... she is in control of her life and as a victim myself I am happy to hear of another women "embracing" her life. I'm sure she is glad to have your support. :)
 @Conservative liberal You do know that @Jeeper was being sarcastic right?
@ DarkParty @Conservative liberal @ jeeper                                             everyone needs hatters I just did'nt realize that it was the entire male rase that you were hattin on. LOL if you were being sarcastic you sure have a weird way of showing it....
 @DarkParty @Jeeper
I will have to respond to that as obviously notâ¦Â Jeeper, I offer my apology as apparently my sarcasm meter is broken this morning. The comment touched a nerve pertaining to justification of horrific actions.
Â
 @Jeeper Her defense is no more valid than any other racial hate killing or gay hate killing.
nobody is expecting her to get a "get out of jail free" card. This was not done because of any sexual abuse. She has a mental health condition and is on medication. Her family has been seeking help for her for years. Unfortunately in this state there is little to NO help for mental health. Â Until someone brings harm to someone else the state will not allow a family member or friend to have someone committed. This family has tried every angle to get Laura into safety for her own protection as well as others. Even wrote a letter to Gov. Gregoire asking for help and didn't get a response. This is a tragedy and out of it needs to come the recognition that this state as well as many others need to have more mental health facilities and laws that help families to get their loved ones admitted into such facilities before they harm themselves or others. Look up Laura's Law in California or Kendra's law in New york. If we had such laws here this would have been prevented.
@God's Grace Its such a twisted mess. Previously when a person could get someone committed people were using the mental health system as a means to get rid of "inconvenient" relatives etc. Now the pendulum has swung so far the other way we can't get help for those who need it. Why can't people come up with a middle ground and create a system that works?
 @God's Grace She''s lucky my husband and I were not in that store. We have concealed weapons permits and carry. Trust me, we would have used them that day.
This is someone who should never be free from state custody ever again - not even for a moment. She is clearly incapable of handling freedom.
 @Whobeke Exactly! I'm female. The excuse of I hate men is no better than I hate Muslims or I hate women or I hate Gays. The excuse of she was sexually abused is no better than any other mans excuse that he was abused as a child. Really, she has no valid excuse. She is a sociopath who wanted to kill people, and luckily failed. She should NEVER be let out.
Being abused is NOT an excuse to shoot another person, there are lots of victims of sexual abuse, myself included, who would NEVER even think about doing something like this. Yes, I think this young woman need a lot of help, but I do not think that the abuse she suffered should be a get out of jail free card. She deliberately hurt innocent people and is just lucky that she didn't kill somebody. She can get help while she serves her time.
3 out of 4 minority children are sexually assaulted before they are 18 years old. 1 out of 4 "white" children are as well. Startling statistics, and very, very frightening.The new Justice Study through CASA and the National Child Abuse Association has found very strong links between childhood sexual abuse and violent criminal behavior. Currently, the maximum sentence for possessing, creating or distributing child pornography is 20 years. 15 years for sexual assault of a child.
 @compassion.is.the.key If you can even get the perverts arrested. I know someone who has molested multiple children and is only in jail - gets out in a few months because of his plea deal. He should NEVER be out on the streets but out system doesn't keep child molesters until they kill someone.
Grandma should be charged as an accomplice since she provided access to the handgun for her poor, abused schizophrenic grand-daughter.
 @TreeTopFlyer  It didn't mention the grandma provided the gun. She took it. The gun should've been secured if the family knew they got a lunatic in their hands.Â
Wow. Horrible. Â Was in a store right down the street at the time of the shooting... the randomness of these crimes, really hits home. Â I so admire the couple that ran IN to the building when they saw what was happening... so brave. Â Shame we had to close all of those mental hospitals because of the budget-cutters and the ACLU in the 70s... "taking meds" is not enough for many people, regardless of what the big Pharma people claim. Â
She looks like a child.
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Thank god no one was killed.
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Send her family some good karma that she can receive some help and know some peace in her heart.
 @Mesh This would be murderer isn't a child. She is a 20 year old adult. She tried to murder several people. Let's hope she never gets out.
 @Mesh If it was a guy that looked as young you would be saying 'GIVE HIM THE CHAIR' but just because it's a girl 'awwwhhh lets give her hugs and kisses and make her better'
AND as far as giving her family good karma goes, who do think probably got her to hate men? Most likely her father and/or brothers.
 @alwayslast If the boy had been molested as a kid...I would be a bit understanding. Not accepting or necessarily forgiving, but understanding of the profound impact such a violation of self has on children and the adults they grow up to be. She'll get life in prison for sure. The men who abused her? IF they ever got caught, perhaps 15 years, which is the maximum apparently for ruining a childs' life, innocence, sense of safety and right to explore sexuality on their own terms, when the time is right. More likely than not, the men who hurt her are never going to get their due. Remember; 1 in 10 white men are pedophiles and 5 out of every 100 people in general sexually abuse children. It is an epidemic that crosses all ethnic, racial, economic and social lines, it is in every neighborhood on every street in every nation across the globe. Perhaps the chair should be offered to first time offenders who decide to use children as their own personal sex slaves.
 @compassion.is.the.key She did not kill anyone, we will be lucky if she gets any time at all... other then a hospital.
If you don't think many of the screwed up men have been abused, you better think again.
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@n9078jk4 Yeah, a Colt .45 lobotomy.
 @n9078jk4 No really. The doctor who invented lobotomy's was killed by one of his patients right after he finished one.
For the sake of fashion, the bullet proof vest just doesn't cut it. i would suggest a somewhat loose fitting straight jacket.
This girl needs some serious help.
 @Koreanman012 This adult woman needs incarceration for choosing to go out and kill people.
She hated men and wanted to know how it felt like, then she says she didn't mean to hurt them. Yeah, she's a psycho alright! No breaks for her. Fry her!
@Zoso i believe she meant she didn't want to hurt the women she said that to...she was after the men.
 @justme Considering she was schizophrenic, yeah, that's not hard to believe.
LOL Pretty harsh there harborgal. Women tend to be treated the way they treat other people. No difference than anyone else does.
None of these things happen in a vacuum. Â She says she was molested as a child and with our health
care the way its been ever since Reagan kicked the asylums doors open its just gotten worse. Too much greed so that people like this young lady who really needed some professional help couldn't get it. Too many people having kids that have no way to support them and get them safely through to being adults. A lot of things lead up to these kinds of actions. Always sad that the people don't get the help they need.
@Blindman article says she was on medication therefore she was getting some 'help'.Â
 @justme sometimes "help" does not involve just taking meds.  Some people need to be in 24/7 care, for their own safety and the safety of others. Big Pharma convinced the powers that be, that we don't need to spend tax dollars on having people treated on an inpatient basis. they think that taking drugs, and seeing a counselor every 4 weeks is enough, and that you can trust them to take the meds.  It's truly sad. I cannot understand why people thought it was more humane to have mentally ill people on the streets, often homeless, or harming themselves, or others, or victims of crimes themselves... than to be in a hospital.  Â