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| Ten die in Alabama shooting spree | Ten die in Alabama shooting spree |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A gunman has killed at least nine people in a series of shootings across two towns in the southern US state of Alabama before killing himself. | A gunman has killed at least nine people in a series of shootings across two towns in the southern US state of Alabama before killing himself. |
| Officials say there were at least four separate shooting incidents. | Officials say there were at least four separate shooting incidents. |
| The gunman fired on homes, a petrol station, shops and vehicles in Samson and Geneva near the Florida border. | The gunman fired on homes, a petrol station, shops and vehicles in Samson and Geneva near the Florida border. |
| Five people - including a child - were killed in one home. Several of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's family. | Five people - including a child - were killed in one home. Several of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's family. |
| The gunman has not been formally identified, but was named in the local press as Michael McLendon. | The gunman has not been formally identified, but was named in the local press as Michael McLendon. |
| The bloodshed began when the suspect is thought to have burned down a house where he lived with his mother in Kinston, near Samson, local coroner Robert Preachers told the Associated Press news agency. | The bloodshed began when the suspect is thought to have burned down a house where he lived with his mother in Kinston, near Samson, local coroner Robert Preachers told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Officials said they had not been able to get inside the house to determine a cause of death and determine whether the woman was the 10th victim of the killing spree. | Officials said they had not been able to get inside the house to determine a cause of death and determine whether the woman was the 10th victim of the killing spree. |
| Shock | Shock |
| The coroner said it was believed the suspect then headed to Samson where he shot and killed five people - four adults and a child - in one home. | The coroner said it was believed the suspect then headed to Samson where he shot and killed five people - four adults and a child - in one home. |
| "He started in his mother's house. Then he went to Samson and he killed his granny and granddaddy and aunt and uncle. He cleaned his family out," Mr Preachers said. | "He started in his mother's house. Then he went to Samson and he killed his granny and granddaddy and aunt and uncle. He cleaned his family out," Mr Preachers said. |
| Police are investigating shootings in four different locations The gunman then killed one person each in two other homes, before killing someone at a Samson supply store, and another person at a service station. | Police are investigating shootings in four different locations The gunman then killed one person each in two other homes, before killing someone at a Samson supply store, and another person at a service station. |
| A police officer told Reuters news agency that two of the dead were the wife and child of a deputy sheriff. | A police officer told Reuters news agency that two of the dead were the wife and child of a deputy sheriff. |
| "He just cruised his automobile through Samson and was spraying the people with semi-automatic weapons [fire] at random," the Reverend Mike Shirah, of Geneva's Maple Baptist Church, told the BBC. | "He just cruised his automobile through Samson and was spraying the people with semi-automatic weapons [fire] at random," the Reverend Mike Shirah, of Geneva's Maple Baptist Church, told the BBC. |
| Samson Mayor Clay King said the town had opened a crisis centre at a local church. | Samson Mayor Clay King said the town had opened a crisis centre at a local church. |
| "I've lived here 44 years and never, never dreamed of this happening," Mr King told AP. | "I've lived here 44 years and never, never dreamed of this happening," Mr King told AP. |
| From Samson, the gunman drove 19km (12 miles) east to Geneva. At one point, officers rammed his car and gunfire was exchanged. | From Samson, the gunman drove 19km (12 miles) east to Geneva. At one point, officers rammed his car and gunfire was exchanged. |
| RECENT US SHOOTINGS Dec 2008: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus kills nine people and himself on Christmas Eve in LASept 2008: Six people die in a series of shootings in the north-west of Washington stateJune 2008: A worker at a plastics plant in Kentucky kills five people and wounds one other before killing himselfFeb 2008: Five people die and 18 are wounded after a man opens fire at Northern Illinois UniversityDec 2007: A gunman kills eight people and wounds five at a shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska, before killing himselfApr 2007: 32 people and the gunman die at the Virginia Tech campus href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7936756.stm">In pictures: Alabama shootings class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7936458.stm">In quotes: Alabama shooting | |
| Geneva police chief Frankie Lindsay says he was saved by his bullet-proof vest when the man shot at his patrol with an automatic weapon. | Geneva police chief Frankie Lindsay says he was saved by his bullet-proof vest when the man shot at his patrol with an automatic weapon. |
| "About 11 rounds hit my vehicle," he told the BBC. "Some of the shrapnel from the bullets did enter my shoulder." | "About 11 rounds hit my vehicle," he told the BBC. "Some of the shrapnel from the bullets did enter my shoulder." |
| The suspect fired a total of 30 rounds during the exchange with police, officials say. | The suspect fired a total of 30 rounds during the exchange with police, officials say. |
| The gunman then went inside a metal products plant where he is believed to have once worked, and shot himself. | The gunman then went inside a metal products plant where he is believed to have once worked, and shot himself. |
| There is no indication yet of a motive for the killings. The FBI has sent an agent to assist the local sheriff's office. | There is no indication yet of a motive for the killings. The FBI has sent an agent to assist the local sheriff's office. |
| Samson has a population of about 2,000 people. Geneva's population is about about 4,400. | Samson has a population of about 2,000 people. Geneva's population is about about 4,400. |
| The towns are in a quiet rural area, our correspondent adds, and the local community are shocked that this incident has happened in such a place. | The towns are in a quiet rural area, our correspondent adds, and the local community are shocked that this incident has happened in such a place. |
| Are you in the area? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in the area? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |