UPDATE: Feb. 25, 2016, 10:33 PM ET
Four people are dead and 14 wounded after a suspect fired on a number of sites near Hesston, Kansas, including inside a lawn care company and at random targets on the street, law enforcement officials said Thursday.
Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said in a press conference there were multiple crime scenes involved after a shooting was reported at the Excel Industries plant, including the plant parking lot and two other locations.
“Those are all connected,” Walton said. “He was traveling and shooting from his car.”
The suspect, who Walton said was an employee, was shot and killed inside the plant by responding police. He said something “triggered this individual” to go on the rampage, but said the shootings outside the factory “all looks random” at this point in the investigation.
Police also said the suspect, identified by local media as Cedric Ford, drove through at least two towns while shooting a gun out his car window, according to The New York Times. Police have not publically identified the suspect or the victims.
The gunman was armed with an assault rifle-type long gun and a pistol, Walton told reporters late Thursday.
Walton also said that emergency response teams were at the suspect’s home, where a roommate was preventing officials from entering. He could not confirm if that man was armed.
The shooting was reported at 4:57 p.m. local time and the shooter was down by 5:23 p.m., Walton said.
Excel Industries is described as a “leading manufacturer of turf care products” on its website. Hesston is a city of around 3,700 about 40 miles north of Wichita, Kansas.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback tweeted his support after the attack.
Please send your thoughts and prayers to the people of Hesston tonight.
— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) February 26, 2016
