ST. LOUIS – Authorities now say three people are dead and five are wounded after a man armed with an assault rifle and a handgun opened fire at a St. Louis manufacturing plant.
Police Capt. Sam Dotson confirmed the number but did not have names. Authorities haven't confirmed whether one of the eight was the gunman.
Authorities have identified the suspect in the shooting as Timothy Hendron, 51, of Webster Groves.
The Associated Press is reporting at least three of the other victims had critical injuries.
The gunman, armed with an assault rifle, entered ABB, Inc, 4350 Semple Avenue in northern St. Louis, around 6:30 a.m. and began shooting. His whereabouts as of 11 a.m. were unknown, and police had set up a two-mile perimeter around the building.
A victim hiding in an office called police around 7:15 a.m., saying he had been shot in the stomach, leg and arm and was too afraid to come out because the gunman was still on the loose. He also said he was with another victim who was not conscious or breathing, according to StlToday.com.
An ABB spokesman told police they believed the gunman was a disgruntled employee who may have recently lost his job.
Thomas Schmidt, an ABB corporate spokesman in Zurich, Switzerland, said in statement Thursday that the company had received reports of the shooting.
"This is obviously a very serious situation and we are working to gather more information as it becomes available," the statement said. "The welfare of our employees is of utmost importance to us."
Swiss-based ABB Group makes power transmission and industrial automation equipment. The company manufactures transformers at the St. Louis site and has facilities in Jefferson City, Mo., and Overland Park, Kan., as well as all over the world, according to its Web site. It wasn't immediately known how many people work at the St. Louis plant.
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