Kansas gunman killed in police firing
A gunman armed with what police called an assault-style weapon killed three people and injured 14 others in Kansas. He was killed by a police officer who responded to 911 calls after a brief exchange of gunfire. All three victims and 12 of the injured worked at a lawn-mower factory in Hesston. Harvey County Sheriff T Walton said 10 people were critically wounded.
Workers at the lawn-mower factory where a majority of people were injured, identified the shooter to local media as Cedric Ford. He was allegedly a former employee who worked at the plant. Most of the workers at the factory described Ford as having a calm demeanor. Authorities said the suspect was known to local law enforcement, but refused any further comments.
Police officials ruled out terrorism as a cause for Ford's actions; however, they said there were "particular things that set him off." Authorities were investigating work-place related grievances.
The shootings began at about 5 p.m. local time, when the gunman was in a car and shot a man on the street in the nearby town of Newton. Another person was shot in the leg at an intersection and Ford stole his car. He then proceeded to the lawn mower factory in Hesston where he killed three people and injured 12 others.
Several law enforcement officials began a search for Ford's roommate in Newton. After tracing him to a trailer park in Newton, authorities surrounded his residence. However after a three hour stand-off, it emerged that he was not present at the scene. Authorities refused to comment on what connection his roommate could have had to the killings earlier in the day.
Even though terrorism has been ruled out as a possible cause, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist local law enforcement with investigations into the attack. FBI officials refused to comment on the matter.
