As many as three to four people were killed and as many as 20 people hurt in a shooting at Excel Industries, a manufacturing plant in Hesston, Kansas. Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton told local media that the shooter was an employee, and that he had been killed by authorities.

Excel Industries describes itself as a “leading manufacturer of turf care products.” From the Wichita Eagle:

An employee who said he was in the plant at of the time of the shooting said he heard gunshots and people shouting to get out of the building.

“Everybody was running,” said the employee, who did not to give his name.

He said the man, whom he recognized as a co-worker, seemed to be on a rampage.

“He was coming at everybody,” the employee said.

He said he noticed two weapons: an AK-47 and some type of handgun.

There are currently four to five crime scenes in this case, the sheriff said.

Update – 10:25 pm

Sheriff Walton told reporters that four to seven people, including the gunman, may have been killed in Thursday’s shooting spree. “We have numerous people shot inside the building, we have a number of people killed inside the building,” the sheriff said. “I don’t have an exact count for you right now.”

The gunman opened fire at at least three different points on his way to the manufacturing plant. “Those are all connected,” Walton said. “He was traveling and shooting from his car.”


Image via KWCH. Contact the author at brendan.oconnor@gawker.com.