Kansas Mass Shooting Suspect From South Florida
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HESSTON, Kan. (CBSMiami/AP) — A mass shooting in Kansas has left four people dead, including the gunman, who used to live in South Florida.
A CBS News law enforcement source identified the shooter as Cedric Ford, who had numerous arrests dating back to Florida in 1996 including burglary, grand theft, false checks and concealed weapons.
Authorities in Kansas said Friday morning the suspect had just been served a protection from abuse order that likely triggered the attack.
"He didn't display anything that was outrageous. He just displayed, he was a little upset that he was getting this order," said Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton.
Authorities said the person named in the order did not work at the factory, but released no other details about the order.
Walton said all of the dead were shot Thursday inside Excel Industries, a plant in Hesston that makes lawnmower products. Of those hurt, 10 were critically wounded.
The gunman was armed with an assault-style weapon when he drove through the town taking shots at people, before storming the factory where he worked.
Authorities said he shot two people while driving to plant and shot another person in the parking lot before going inside. They said he shot 15 others in the factory, killing three of them, before a Hesston police officer shot him dead.
Walton described the officer as a "tremendous hero" because 200 or 300 people were still in the factory and the "shooter wasn't done by any means."
"Had that Hesston officer not done what he did, this would be a whole lot more tragic," Walton said.
CBS4 News found pictures of Ford on his Facebook page handling several guns. Ford also posted on Facebook that he is from Miami. CBS4 News found he used to live in both Miramar and Miami Gardens and has an extensive criminal record in both Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. There was also a video of Ford shooting a rifle into the ground on his Facebook page. It was posted September 20th, 2015.
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