Race Motive Probed in Sniper-Style Slaying

Jan. 23, 2008 — -- A 19-year-old who authorities say fatally shot a 21-year-old woman sniper style as she sat in a fast food drive-through will be held without bond, a Nebraska judge ruled today.

Kyle Bormann was arrested Sunday night after he tried to flee from the Omaha crime scene. He was formally charged with first-degree murder in the death of Brittany Williams, who was struck in the head by a single shot from a high-powered rifle as she waited to pull up to the window at a combination Kentucky Fried Chicken and Long John Silver's. Bormann also faces a use of a weapon to commit a felony charge.

"We charged him with first-degree murder," Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine told ABC News. "Right now, I would say we don't know what the motive is, but that's still being investigated."

While there was no connection between the alleged gunman and victim, Klein said, authorities could not rule out that the murder may have been racially motivated. Bormann is white and Williams was black.

Authorities say that Bormann was parked in a Chrysler Sebring between 100 and 200 yards from Williams' car in the fast food chain's drive-through lane, according to ABC News' Omaha affiliate KETV. A bolt-action weapon owned by Bormann and outfitted with a scope was used. As investigators worked the crime scene, Bormann drove off, breaking through crime scene tape that had been set up.

Bormann, who was wearing hunting-style camouflage fatigues, later ditched the car and ran on foot, tossing the alleged weapon. "He had a rifle in his possession and threw that down," Kleine said, "and that's the rifle we now have in possession." Authorities captured him and recovered additional rounds of ammunition.

In an interview after his arrest, Bormann admitted to police that he had shot Williams, an assistant prosecutor said today in court, according to KETV.

Kleine said that his office will consider seeking the death penalty in what he described as a "very disturbing" crime that instantly made him think about the Dec. 5 massacre inside the Von Maur store at Westroads Mall in Omaha. In that case, 19-year-old Robert Hawkins opened fire on Christmas shoppers and mall employees, killing eight before he turned the gun on himself.