Orlando shooting: Five dead after workplace incident in Florida
Five people are dead after a workplace shooting in Orlando, police have said.
The shooter, who police say was a 45-year-old disgruntled former employee, also killed himself to bring the total of dead to six. Seven people survived the attack.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office had earlier reported 'multiple fatalities, but added that the situation had been stabilised.
The shooting occurred in an industrial area with multiple warehouses on Forsyth Road and Hanging Moss Road, the sheriff's office said, at Fiamma, a business that makes awnings for recreational vehicles.
The gunman, who has not yet been identified, had previously been accused of attacking another employee inside the business. He was not charged in that case.
The 45-year-old suspect had a history of misdemeanour criminal offences but was not linked to any terror organisations, Sheriff Jerry Demings said at a press briefing.
“He was a disgruntled employee that came back to this business this morning,” Mr Demings said.
The unidentified assailant arrived at the company that makes accessories for recreational vehicles and campers at about 8am local time (1pm BST) armed with a handgun and a knife, Mr Demings said.
He did not use the knife but “shot five innocent people and then turned the gun on himself and killed himself,” the sheriff said.
Mr Demings added: “This is a sad day once again for us in Orange County. Our hearts go out to the victims.”
Four of the victims died at the scene - three men and one woman. Another man died of his wounds at a local hospital.
Shelley Adams's sister Sheila McIntrye works for the company and was in the toilet when shots rang out.
Ms McIntyre is safe but she called her sister during the shooting.
She kept repeating “My boss is dead, my boss is dead”, Ms Adams said.
WESH TV in Orlando reported that the FBI joint terrorism task force have sent an official to the scene of the shooting.
Emergency vehicles with flashing lights were lined up on the closed roadway in the Winter Park suburb of Orlando. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs was on the scene, according to local television images.
It comes a week before the first anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in the city - the deadliest mass shooting in US history - in which 49 people died.
In response to the latest shooting Florida Governor Rick Scott said:
“Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before. 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.”
