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Aurora shooting: Five killed by sacked man at Illinois firm Aurora shooting: Five killed by sacked man at Illinois firm
(about 4 hours later)
A man who was being fired from his job shot dead five people and injured several others at his workplace in the US state of Illinois, police say. A man being fired from his job has shot dead five people and injured several police officers at his workplace in the US state of Illinois.
The gunman was killed during an exchange of fire with police officers. Five officers were shot and wounded. The gunman was killed during an exchange of fire with police. The five victims have now been named.
The shooting took place at a manufacturing company in Aurora, a suburb about 40 miles west of Chicago. The shooting took place at a manufacturing firm in Aurora, a suburb about 40 miles (64km) west of Chicago.
Police named the gunman as Gary Martin, 45, who had worked at the Henry Pratt company for 15 years. Police named the suspect as Gary Martin, 45, who had worked at the Henry Pratt company for 15 years.
Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said late on Friday they had information that his employment was being terminated that day. Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said the suspect had armed himself and then attended a meeting at which he was being sacked.
Officers declined to speculate on a motive for the attack, but the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper reports that his family say he was "stressed out" by being made redundant by the company, which makes valves for large water pipes. Who are the victims?
What have police said about the shooting? Police named the five as:
Police received reports of an "active shooter" in an industrial park in Aurora at about 13:24 local time (19:24 GMT), Ms Ziman said at a press conference. Three of the victims died in the room where the suspect's termination from his job was being announced, a fourth close by and the fifth on another floor.
They were "fired upon immediately" when they arrived at the scene, she said. Mr Pinkard's family described him as "a loving husband and father who deeply impacted the community".
The police chief added that a rescue task force was quickly deployed to the industrial park, accompanied by the emergency services, including the fire department and paramedics. In a Facebook post by a family friend, Mr Wehner was described as a "big brother to many".
Who is the suspect?
Gary Martin was a 15-year veteran of the Henry Pratt company
The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper reported his family as saying he was "stressed out" at being made redundant by the company, which makes valves for large water pipes.
Clerks at a local store told USA Today that Martin regularly came in for cigars and was a happy and engaging customer who appeared fine on the day of the shooting.
Steve Spizewski, who lived near Martin, told the paper he considered him a friend who had consoled him when his mother died and that he was in "shock" at the reports.
Ms Ziman said Martin had bought a gun in 2014 before authorities realised he had a conviction from 1994.
She said police were investigating why he had not been forced to give it up.
What happened at Henry Pratt?
Police received a number of reports of an "active shooter" in an industrial park in Aurora at about 13:24 local time (19:24 GMT) on Friday.
Officers were immediately confronted by the suspect, who was armed with a Smith & Wesson handgun, and two of them were shot and wounded.
Three more officers were shot as they tried to rescue people from the building. None of the wounded officers are in a critical condition.
Officers located the suspect in the large complex after about 90 minutes and he was shot dead.
Chris Southwood of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police described the Aurora officers who attended and were shot as "courageous".Chris Southwood of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police described the Aurora officers who attended and were shot as "courageous".
"[These] officers and their colleagues did not hesitate to literally put their lives on the line today to stop further bloodshed," Mr Southwood said in a statement. "[These] officers and their colleagues did not hesitate to literally put their lives on the line today to stop further bloodshed," Mr Southwood.
Of the five officers wounded, two were airlifted to nearby trauma centres. How did witnesses describe the scene?
The names of the five people who were killed have not yet been released. John Probst, who works at Henry Pratt, told broadcaster ABC7 that he saw the attacker, whom he recognised as a colleague.
How have witnesses described the scene? He said the man was carrying a handgun equipped with a laser sight.
Witness John Probst, who works at the Henry Pratt Company, earlier told broadcaster ABC7 that he saw the attacker, whom he recognised as a colleague.
He said the man was carrying a handgun equipped with a laser sight, but this has yet to be confirmed by officials.
"One of the guys was up in the office [and] he said this person was shooting, and, he come running down and he was bleeding pretty bad... I heard more shots, and we just left the building," Mr Probst said."One of the guys was up in the office [and] he said this person was shooting, and, he come running down and he was bleeding pretty bad... I heard more shots, and we just left the building," Mr Probst said.
An employee at nearby Capitol Printing told ABC7 that they had hidden in a closet when the shooting began. An employee at nearby Capitol Printing told ABC7 that they hid in a closet when the shooting began.
Others in nearby buildings said they locked themselves in.Others in nearby buildings said they locked themselves in.
Police in Aurora, Colorado - where a man opened fire in a crowded movie theatre in 2012 - quickly tweeted that the incident was not happening in Colorado.
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth said: "This is a scary, sad day for all Illinoisans and Americans."Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth said: "This is a scary, sad day for all Illinoisans and Americans."
President Donald Trump posted a message on Twitter offering his condolences to the victims and their loved ones.President Donald Trump posted a message on Twitter offering his condolences to the victims and their loved ones.
The incident on Friday comes a day after the first anniversary of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 dead. The incident on Friday came a day after the first anniversary of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 dead.