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Woman shot to death in garage

A former boyfriend shoots her as airport police officers watch. They critically injure him in a shootout that follows.

By BRIAN WHITE
Published June 28, 2005

TAMPA - A Port Charlotte woman who had just dropped off her children for a Monday morning flight was shot to death by a former boyfriend who tried to abduct her in the parking garage at Tampa International Airport.

The man was injured moments later in a shootout with police.

Authorities say Lori Nielsen's ex-boyfriend, William Gaul, shot her before exchanging gunshots with airport police. Gaul was wounded in the shootout and was in critical condition at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The shooting began as Nielsen, 38, saw her children off and then returned to her car on the sixth level of the garage. That's when Gaul confronted her with a pistol about 11:45 a.m., Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin said.

Gaul, 51, forced Nielsen up a stairwell to the garage's seventh level, where his blue Dodge pickup was parked, Durkin said. Her sandals were left behind on the ground next to her silver Mercury Sable, and her purse sat on the trunk.

Airport police had received calls about a domestic dispute.

Three officers began searching the garage, and when they arrived on the seventh level, they saw Gaul beginning to drive off with Nielsen in his back seat, Durkin said. She jumped out of the truck; Gaul chased after her and grabbed her as the officers approached, Durkin said.

"The horror unfolded in front of them," he said.

Gaul shot Nielsen in the upper torso, Durkin said.

The officers ordered him to drop his weapon, but he fired at them. They returned fire, striking him at least three times, leaving six bullet cartridges on the ground.

Nielsen died at the scene of a single gunshot wound, Durkin said.

Gaul had been living with Nielsen in Port Charlotte until about five months ago, neighbors said. He came back occasionally and argued with Nielsen, but not enough to make anyone worry, said neighbors Mary Klatthaar and Amy Leineke.

Gaul was convicted of several domestic-related crimes in Connecticut in 1996, including kidnapping and violating a protection order, according to records. He was sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Nielsen had taken her three children to the airport for an 11 a.m. flight to Connecticut, where both of her ex-husbands live, Durkin said. She had one daughter, Shannon Ward, 15, and two sons, Michael Ward, 13, and Shawn Nielsen, 7.

Lori Nielsen planned to go to Connecticut in two weeks and fly back to Florida with her children, Klatthaar said.

Nielsen spent her last night with her children, Leineke said.

The officers who shot Gaul are on paid leave while the investigation continues, airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan said.

Airport police Chief Paul Sireci said his officers receive training similar to that of city police officers.

In 2001, an airport police officer shot a suspected car thief after the man rammed a stolen rental car into the officer's vehicle several times. The Hillsborough state attorney concluded the shooting was justified.

There are no plans to change security at the garage, Geoghagan said. "We haven't gone there," she said. "We feel like our police responded very quickly. Of course today's incident could occur any time, any place."

--The Port Charlotte Sun-Herald contributed to this report. Brian White can be reached at bwhite@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 28, 2005, 08:25:12]