A gunman opened fire outside and inside a FedEx Ground facility near Indianapolis’ main airport Thursday night, killing eight people, wounding several others and sending witnesses running before taking his own life, police said.
Police were called to the facility at about 11 p.m. local time for what has become the country’s deadliest shooting since 10 people were killed March 22 at a grocery in Colorado.
Police in Indianapolis arrived “to a very chaotic scene, with victims and witnesses running everywhere,” McCartt said.
“The gunman came into the parking lot, and I believe he exited his vehicle and quickly began shooting. … The first shooting occurred in the parking lot, and then he went inside and did not get very far into the facility at all,” Indianapolis police Deputy Chief Craig McCartt said. The gunman had at least one weapon — “a rifle of some sort” — and investigators were trying to determine whether he had more, he added.
McCartt said the gunman killed himself as officers encountered him. No police officer fired, he said. The names of the victims or gunman were not immediately released.
The incident marks at least the 45th mass shooting in the United States since the Atlanta-area spa shootings on March 16. CNN considers an incident to be a mass shooting if four or more people, excluding the gunman, are shot and wounded or killed.
The motive for the shooting was not immediately known.
FedEx released a statement saying it was “deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our team members.”
“Our most heartfelt sympathies are with all those affected by this senseless act of violence. The safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are fully cooperating with investigating authorities,” FedEx said.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said Friday is “another heartbreaking day and I’m shaken by the mass shooting at the FedEx Ground facility in Indianapolis.”
“In times like this, words like justice and sorrow fall short in response for those senselessly taken. Our thoughts are with the families, friends, coworkers and all those affected by this terrible situation,” Holcomb said.
Flags will be lowered to half-staff from Friday until sunset Tuesday “in remembrance of those we’ve lost,” Holcomb said.
