An former employee at a company near Orlando, Florida, has shot and killed five persons in a revenge attack, media reports confirm.
The incident which occurred earlier in the day was believed to be a follow-up from some altercations between the shooter and his fellow workers nearly three years ago.
He harbored the anger while planning his payback over the past years, or has other reasons for attempting mass murder.
Sadly, the suicide-murder ended when he turned the gun to himself after snuffing life out of five employees at Fiamma [a company which manufactures awnings and accessories for RVs].
According to a report from Good Morning America, police officers arrived the scene after shootings were reported around 8:03 a.m.
‘A total of three men and one woman were confirmed dead,’ Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said in a statement.
Unfortunately for the fifth victim who was said to have received emergency treatments, he died at the hospital.
The suspect has been identified as a 45-year-old man. He had a handgun and a dagger during the attack.
Demings said a total of seven persons inside the business premises during the attack miraculously survived, and are currently helping police with statements.
The suspect was described as a “disgruntled” worker who lost his position at the company in April 2017. His name was not released for security reasons.
The bloody massacre today was believed to be rooted in an incident which occurred in June 2014 when the attacker fought and pummeled a co-worker. Although no charges were filed at that time, Demings said it remains a mystery why he would strike the company after three years.
Investigations are underway, but the police said there are no proofs of any links with terrorist organizations.
“This was ‘likely a workplace violence incident,” Demings said.
The actual person who was involved in a fight with the shooter seem not to be among the dead, said the sherrif.
According to the news update, a sister to an eyewitness Shelley Adams spoke with ABC News about the shootings. She said her sister called from the office this morning and explained the shocking scene.
She had walked out of the bathroom before seeing someone lying dead on the floor.
Adam said her sister “was just hysterically crying” while they spoke on the phone.
‘She was in shock, and all she kept repeating was, “My boss is dead.”‘
While the FBI is working hard to restore peace and security in the affected area, there are speculations that the murders may have connections to terrorist organizations.
On 12 June, 2016, there was a mass shooting incident at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. A total of 49 people died in that attack, and the anniversary is just few days away.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement, “Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before.
“I ask all Floridians to pray for the families impacted by this senseless act of violence.”
