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U.S. NEWS A5
Saturday 27 February 2016
Sheriff: Cop who killed Kansas gunman a ‘tremendous hero’
ROXANA HEGEMAN the name of a Cedric Ford FBI agents search the parking lot at Excel Industries, the scene of Thursday’s shooting, in Hesston,
MARIA FISHER employed at Excel Indus- Kan., Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton identified the gunman as Cedric Ford,
Associated Press tries includes photos post- who stormed into the factory where he worked and shot several people.
HESSTON, Kan. (AP) — A ed within the past month
man who stormed into a of a man posing with a (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Kansas factory where he long gun and another of
worked and shot 14 peo- a handgun in a man’s lap
ple, killing three, had just in a car. Federal law bars
been served with a protec- felons from possessing fire-
tive order that probably set arms.
off the attack, authorities Recent posts also include
said Friday. music videos of rappers
The assault at the Excel In- from Miami, photos of cars
dustries lawnmower parts and pictures posted in Jan-
plant in the small town of uary of a trip to a zoo with
Hesston ended when the children.
police chief killed the gun- The shooting came less
man in a shootout. than a week after a man
Harvey County Sheriff T. opened fire at several lo-
Walton described the offi- cations in the Kalamazoo,
cer as a “tremendous hero” Michigan, area, leaving six
because 200 or 300 people people dead and two se-
were still in the factory and verely wounded. Authori-
the “shooter wasn’t done ties have not disclosed a
by any means.” possible motive in those at-
“Had that Hesston officer tacks.
not done what he did, this At least 16 people were
would be a whole lot more taken to hospitals, and one
tragic,” Walton said. person was listed in critical
The gunman was identified condition.
as Cedric Ford, a 38-year- Walton said his office
old plant worker who was served the suspect with
armed with an assault rifle the protection-from-abuse
and a pistol. order at around 3:30 p.m.,
Kansas Gov. Sam Brown- about 90 minutes before
back said preliminary in- the first shooting hap-
formation indicated that pened. He said such orders
the officer was Hesston are usually filed because
Police Chief Doug Schro- there’s some type of vio-
eder, who did not wait for lence in a relationship. He
backup and “seized the did not disclose the nature
situation.” of the relationship in ques-
While driving to the factory, tion.
the gunman shot a man on A judge issued a temporary
the street, striking him in the order of protection earlier
shoulder. A short time later, this month for a woman
he shot someone else in who said in her petition
the leg at an intersection, that Ford was a violent, de-
authorities said. pressed alcoholic.
The suspect shot one per- “It’s my belief he is in des-
son in the factory parking perate need of medical
lot before opening fire in- and psychological help!”
side the building, the sher- she wrote.
iff’s department said in a The woman said she and
news release. Ford were arguing on Feb.
Ford had several convic- 5 when he grabbed her,
tions in Florida over the last placed her in a choke hold
decade. His past offenses from behind and took her
included burglary, grand to the ground.
theft, fleeing from an of- On Thursday, Ford left work
ficer, aggravated fleeing early without explanation
and carrying a concealed before returning hours later
weapon, all from Broward with a rifle, according to a
and Miami-Dade counties. co-worker.
According to the Wichita Matt Jarrell said he and
Eagle, Ford also had crimi- Ford worked “hand-in-
nal cases in Harvey County, hand” as painters on the
including a misdemeanor second shift. He said Ford
conviction in 2008 for fight- arrived as scheduled on
ing or brawling and various Thursday but later disap-
traffic violations from 2014 peared and was not there
and 2015. to relieve him so that he
A Facebook page under could take a break.q
