A gunman opened fire at an Illinois factory just after receiving notice of termination from his job, killing five fellow…
At a late-night news conference, Ziman said it was not yet clear whether the suspect, armed with a Smith & Wesson handgun, was carrying the weapon at the time of his dismissal or whether he «went to retrieve it» before opening fire.
An eyewitness and fellow employee told CNN he saw the gunman running through the building carrying a pistol fitted with a laser sight.
Also uncertain was the degree to which the shooting was premeditated, Ziman told reporters.
«The information that we have indicates he was being terminated today,» she said, adding that the reason for his dismissal was not known to police.
The chief said investigators were still looking into whether the gunman had a prior criminal history, but public records show Martin was convicted in 1995 for aggravated assault in Mississippi. Convicted felons are generally barred from possessing firearms.
