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| Ten die in Alabama shooting spree | Ten die in Alabama shooting spree |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| At least 10 people have been killed in a series of shootings across two towns in the southern US state of Alabama. | At least 10 people have been killed in a series of shootings across two towns in the southern US state of Alabama. |
| Officials say there were at least four separate shooting incidents, before the gunman killed himself. | Officials say there were at least four separate shooting incidents, before the gunman killed himself. |
| He fired on homes, a petrol station, shops and vehicles in Samson and Geneva near the Florida border. | He 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. Some of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's family. | Five people - including a child - were killed in one home. Some of the victims are believed to have been members of the gunman's family. |
| The body of his mother has been found at her home, which was burned down, the Associated Press agency quotes local coroner Robert Preachers as saying. | The body of his mother has been found at her home, which was burned down, the Associated Press agency quotes local coroner Robert Preachers as saying. |
| It is not clear whether she was shot. The coroner added that the suspect had killed his grandparents, aunt and uncle in Samson. | It is not clear whether she was shot. The coroner added that the suspect had killed his grandparents, aunt and uncle in Samson. |
| The gunman fired shots at other targets in the town. | The gunman fired shots at other targets in the town. |
| "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. |
| Shock | |
| From Samson, he 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 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. | |
| "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. |
| He eventually went inside a metal products plant, where he is believed to have worked, and shot himself. | |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| The BBC's Andy Gallacher in Florida says the FBI is expecting the death toll to rise. | |
| 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 a 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. |