11:19pm UK, Wednesday February 06, 2008

A gunman who killed five women at a suburban Chicago clothing store made sexual advances toward one of his victims, police have said.

Killer shot five women dead

The sole survivor of the weekend attack has spoken publicly about the horrific incident for the first time.

The five murders occurred during an apparent botched robbery at a mall in Tinley Park, Illinois, southwest of Chicago.

Authorities are still hunting for a suspect they say wore a knit cap pulled over beaded hair during the rampage.

In a brief statement, Tinley Park police said "one of the victims was the target of sexual advances by the offender, in that she was fondled".

There was no further sexual contact beyond that, police said.

The victims were found at the back of a women's clothing store after emergency services were called to the mall at about 10.45am local time on Saturday.

At least one of those killed at the Lane Bryant shop was an employee.