Employee-Gunman Kills Five, Self

At the Lockheed Martin plant in Meridian (MS), Tuesday morning, a gunman, identified only as as a local employee of Lockheed Martin, went to work with a shotgun and a rifle, according to Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie.

Eight are counted as wounded; at least six, including the gunman, are dead.

Reports say the shooter strolled through the plant, shooting as he went along, in no apparent pattern, picking his targets in a seemingly-random way.

The plant manufactures subassemblies for the C-130 Hercules and F-22 Raptor.

Friends and business associates of the employee are being interviewed to try to determine the motive for the killing spree; counselors are on-site, working with other employees.

Meridian police, Lauderdale County sheriffs, a locally-based SWAT team, and several fire department units attended the matter.

Lockheed Martin's Initial Statement:

A Lockheed Martin employee at the company's Meridian, Miss., facility entered the plant today at approximately 10 a.m. Central Time with a gun and shot an unknown number of people before taking his own life. At least five of the victims are believed to be dead and a number of people are wounded. Lockheed Martin officials are working with local law enforcement officials who are on the scene. Names of the dead and wounded are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

We are shocked and saddened by this tragedy and express our deepest sympathies to the families. Additional details will be released as soon as they are available.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com