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| Eleven die in Alabama shootings | Eleven die in Alabama shootings |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police are investigating why a gunman killed 10 people in a series of shootings in the southern US state of Alabama before killing himself. | Police are investigating why a gunman killed 10 people in a series of shootings in the southern US state of Alabama before killing himself. |
| The gunman burned down his own house, before firing on homes, shops and vehicles in the towns of Samson and Geneva near the Florida border. | The gunman burned down his own house, before firing on homes, shops and vehicles in the towns of Samson and Geneva near the Florida border. |
| Several of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's extended family. | Several of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's extended family. |
| The wife and daughter of a local police officer were also killed. | The wife and daughter of a local police officer were also killed. |
| The gunman was named by local officials as Michael McLendon, 28, who had recently left his job at a local sausage factory. | |
| The bloodshed began when McLendon shot his mother in the house where the two of them lived in Kinston, near Samson. | |
| He then placed his mother on a couch and set the house on fire | |
| McLendon also shot four dogs at the house, officials said. | |
| Shock | Shock |
| The suspect then headed to a house in Samson where he shot and killed three relatives as well as the wife and daughter of Josh Myers, a local sheriff's deputy. | |
| Deputy Myers's other daughter was injured in the incident and was set to undergo treatment in a local hospital for a wound to the leg caused by a bullet or shrapnel. | Deputy Myers's other daughter was injured in the incident and was set to undergo treatment in a local hospital for a wound to the leg caused by a bullet or shrapnel. |
| "I cried so much yesterday, I don't have a tear left in me," Mr Myers said. | |
| "I feel like I should be able to walk in the house and my wife would be there, my baby girl climbing on me." | "I feel like I should be able to walk in the house and my wife would be there, my baby girl climbing on me." |
| After leaving his relatives' home, the gunman moved to a neighbouring home, where he shot dead a 74-year-old woman - also a relative, according to officials. | After leaving his relatives' home, the gunman moved to a neighbouring home, where he shot dead a 74-year-old woman - also a relative, according to officials. |
| "He cleaned his family out," said Coffee County Coroner Robert Preachers. Police are being assisted in their investigation by the FBI | |
| The gunman then drove around Samson, killing two people at a Samson convenience store, and another man driving a pick-up truck. | The gunman then drove around Samson, killing two people at a Samson convenience store, and another man driving a pick-up truck. |
| "He just cruised his automobile through Samson and was spraying the people with semi-automatic weapons [fire] at random," 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," 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. 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 In pictures: Alabama shootingsIn quotes: Alabama shooting class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7938370.stm">'Community in sorrow' | |
| 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. |
| One of the officers involved in the shootout was Deputy Myers, who at the time was unaware that his wife and daughter had already been killed by the gunman. | One of the officers involved in the shootout was Deputy Myers, who at the time was unaware that his wife and daughter had already been killed by the gunman. |
| 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 4,400. | Samson has a population of about 2,000 people. Geneva's population is about 4,400. |
| The towns are in a quiet rural area and local people are shocked that the incident has happened there. | The towns are in a quiet rural area and local people are shocked that the incident has happened there. |
| 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. |