Eight people were killed and several others injured Thursday in the latest mass shooting incident at a FedEx facility in the US city of Indianapolis, according to police. Genae Cook, the police spokesperson, told a news conference that at least four people were hospitalised, including one victim with critical injuries.
"As officers arrived, they came into contact with an active shooting incident," said Cook, adding that the shooting had taken place at around 11:00pm local time (08:30am IST, Friday).
According to the spokesperson, officers entered the facility without hesitation and “did their job”, stressing that they are trying to face this “because this is a sight no one should ever have to see.” Cook said that the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) is leading the investigation into the mass shooting and working with state police to interview witnesses from the scene. She added that the motive for the killing was unclear.
Local media quoted a FedEx worker, Jeremiah Miller, as saying he had seen the gunman firing with a “submachine gun”. "I saw a man with a sub-machine gun of some sort, an automatic rifle, and he was firing in the open. I immediately ducked down and got scared and my friend’s mother, she came in and told us to get inside the car," Miller said.
An Indian-origin man, Parminder Singh, told local WTTV that his niece was among those who were injured in the shooting incident. “She called as I was asleep at home. She said there was a shooting in the FedEx. So we just drove from Brownsburg,” said Singh. “She got shot on her left arm...she's fine, she's in the hospital now,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}An Indian-origin man, Parminder Singh, told local WTTV that his niece was among those who were injured in the shooting incident. “She called as I was asleep at home. She said there was a shooting in the FedEx. So we just drove from Brownsburg,” said Singh. “She got shot on her left arm...she's fine, she's in the hospital now,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}After law enforcement officials were informed of a "mass casualty situation" at the FedEx ground facility near Indianapolis International Airport, the delivery services company said in a statement that they were working to gather more information and cooperating with investigating authorities.
Last month, a shooting at a Colorado supermarket claimed 10 lives including that of a police officer. In Georgia, a white gunman went on a shooting rampage at three Atlanta-area massage parlours that sent terror through the Asian American community.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit group that provides near real-time reporting of gun violence incidents in the United States, gun violence deaths from all causes stands at 12,395 so far this year in the US, of which 147 were in mass shootings. US President Joe Biden recently announced six executive measures to help stem the gun violence cases but legislation for greater gun control is being resisted by Republicans.
(With inputs from agencies)