United States, Los Angeles: Police said, at least four people were killed and up to 30 wounded Thursday when a gunman opened fire at a lawn mower factory in a small Kansas town. Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said the number of victims could rise to as high as seven. He said the gunman, an employee at Excel Industries, located in a tight-knit community north of Wichita, was among the dead.

Walton said, “The shooter has been shot and killed. He’s an Excel employee and authorities killed him. He said, “This is just a horrible incident that happened here and  there’s going to be a lot of sad people before this is all over”. Local media identified the gunman as Cedric Ford, who worked as a painter at the factory and had posted a picture of himself on Facebook with an assault rifle. He also posted a video of himself firing an assault rifle in what appeared to be a wheat field.

Local media said Ford had an extensive criminal record, including a history of prowling, loitering and illegal weapons possession. Witnesses reported seeing the gunman first shoot a woman in the parking lot of the factory before entering the assembly area and opening fire. Walton, meanwhile, said at least two of the victims were shot by the gunman from his car as he drove to the factory. He said one was shot in the shoulder and one in the leg.