The gunman in Monday’s fatal shooting spree at an Orlando, Florida, business targeted his victims and had a “negative relationship” with at least one of them, Orlando County Sheriff Jerry Demings said.
“He was certainly singling out the individuals he shot,” Demings told reporters Monday afternoon.
The man, who shot to death five people at Fiamma Inc. and then himself, told a new, temporary employee to get out of the building before he opened fire, Demings said.
The gunman was identified as John Robert Neumann, Jr.
Demings named the victims as Robert Snyder, 69; Brenda Motanez-Crespo, 44; Kevin Clark, 53; Kevin Lawson, 46; and Jeffrey Roberts, 57.
Demings said Neumann lived alone and had no family in the area. He was an Army veteran who was honorably discharged in 1999.
Demings said it did not appear Neumann had a concealed weapons permit for the semi-automatic pistol he used.
“Most of the victims were shot in the head,” Demings said. “Some were shot multiple times.”
[Previous story, published at 12:59 p.m.]
A disgruntled former employee shot and killed five people at an Orlando, Florida, business Monday morning before turning the gun on himself, police said.
Police have not named the dead gunman, 45, but say he has no ties to terror or subversive groups.
Police responded to the call about 8 a.m. at Fiamma Inc., which makes accessories for recreational vehicles, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said. The business is located in an industrial area northeast of downtown.
Three men and a woman were found dead at the scene, Demings said. Another man died at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Seven others were inside the business when the shootings took place.
‘My boss is dead’
Shelley Adams told reporters she spoke Monday with her sister, who works at Fiamma and was in the restroom when she heard a noise.
Her sister came out and saw someone lying on the floor.
“She said, ‘I saw too much. My boss is dead,'” Adams said.
Shooter was fired this year
The gunman was fired from Fiamma in April, Demings said.
He had a minor police record including arrests for DUI and marijuana possession.
Police had responded to a battery complaint against him at Fiamma in 2014. The victim of that incident was not among the dead Monday, Demings said.
Pulse anniversary approaches
Almost a year ago, Orlando was the site of the nation’s worst terror attack since 9/11. On June 12, 2016, a gunman killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub.
“Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement Monday.
“I will remain in contact with the Orlando law enforcement community throughout the day as more information is made available,” Scott said.
