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'Multiple fatalities' in Orlando shooting, police say Orlando gunman kills five people in workplace shooting
(about 2 hours later)
Law enforcement authorities in Florida said on Monday there were “multiple fatalities” following a shooting in an industrial area of suburban Orlando. Florida police confirmed that six people were killed, including the 45-year-old gunman, in a Monday morning shooting at Fiamma, a business in suburban Orlando that manufactures awnings and accessories for recreational vehicles.
On its official Twitter account, the Orange County sheriff’s office said the “situation” had been contained, meaning there was no longer an active shooter. The shooting was reported about 8am. Officials said they would provide an update as soon as the “info is accurate”. “This is likely a workplace violence incident,” Orange County sheriff Jerry Demings said at a late-morning press briefing, noting that the suspect was fired from the company in April. “It appears this incident has nothing to do with any global terror activities. He was a disgruntled employee who came back to this business this morning.”
“OCSO working shooting scene that has stabilized. Multiple fatalities,” the sheriff’s office posted. The incident occurred in an industrial area on Forsyth Road, northwest of downtown, the sheriff’s office said. Demings said 12 employees were in the building at the time of the shooting and that deputies received a 911 call about an active shooter at 8.03am. They were on scene within two minutes, he said.
Several roads in Orlando were closed as deputies responded to the shooting and authorities urged motorists to “use caution”. A media staging area was set up near the scene, and Orange County sheriff Jerry Demmings was expected to make a statement. “Once they arrived they found multiple individuals that had been shot: three male victims were deceased at that time and one female was deceased,” he said. A fifth victim was transported to the Orlando regional medical center and died shortly after.
Local news outlets reported that several Orange County fire and rescue vehicles were seen leaving the scene. A large police presence remained. The suspected gunman, who Demings would not name, shot himself. Seven others whom Demings described as “survivors” were not injured.
No further details were immediately available. “The suspect was armed with a handgun and a knife. There is no indication that he used the knife,” Demings said.
More to follow… He also revealed that the suspect had a criminal history that was “minor in nature”, including possession of marijuana, driving under the influence and misdemeanor battery. He said Orange County sheriffs were called to the premises in June 2014 when the suspect battered another employee.
“Because he came back to this business and shot people he previously worked with, this is akin to a workplace violence,” Demings said. “We have no indication that this subject is a member of any subversive-type organisation or terror organisation.”
An FBI spokesman, Ron Hopper, said members of the agency’s terrorism taskforce attended the scene as a matter of routine.
“As we would in any active shooting situation, the FBI responded in force,” he said. “We will remain with the sheriff’s department until our resources are no longer necessary.”
Rick Scott, the Florida governor, issued a statement noting that the incident came close to the first anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando that left 49 dead.
“Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before,” he said. “I have been briefed by our law enforcement officials on this tragic incident and Ann and I are praying for the families who lost loved ones today.
“I ask all Floridians to pray for the families impacted by this senseless act of violence. I will remain in contact with the Orlando law enforcement community throughout the day as more information is made available.”