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An employee at a lawn mower parts factory opened fire at the plant on Thursday, shooting 15, three fatally, before a police officer shot and killed the suspect. Here’s what we know now about the mass shooting.
1. The shooter has been identified
In a Friday morning press conference, the Harvey County Sheriff’s Department identified the shooter as Cedric Ford, 38. He was employed at Excel Industries, the factory where he opened fire. Ford had a lengthy criminal record in Florida and Kansas, with past offenses including burglary, grand theft, fleeing from an officer, carrying a concealed weapon and brawling.
2. What may have triggered the attack
Ford had been served a protection from abuse order just 90 minutes before the first shooting, according to The Associated Press. Authorities have not revealed any further details from the order, which are often issued in domestic violence cases.
3. How the attack unfolded
According to a coworker, Ford began his shift on time Thursday, but at break time, Ford was nowhere to be found. Ford wounded two people before he returned to the plant. He shot two people while driving to the plant, with one man shot in the shoulder and another person shot in the leg. At the factory, he shot one person in the parking lot before entering the building, where the majority of the shootings took place. Witnesses said Ford used a long assault-style rifle and a pistol during the attack.
4. What we know about the victims
Witnesses say Ford appeared to choose victims at random. The two wounded before the factory attack are expected to survive. Three people shot at the factory were killed. One person shot at the factory is in critical condition, while the others are either expected to survive or their conditions have not been released.
5. What is next
The investigation will focus on Ford's motive behind the attacks. How he obtained the weapons used in the attacks will also be a part of the investigation. Coworkers and family members will be interviewed. At least one coworker, Matt Jarrell, told KSN that he never would have believed in a million years that Ford would be capable of such an attack.
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