Gunman who attacked factory had criminal record in 2 states

The police chief in Hesston, Kansas, is being credited with chasing and fatally shooting a man suspected of killing three people and wounding 14 others during a shooting rampage that ended at a local factory.

Cedric Ford was at work at an Excel plant in Hesston, Kansas, on Thursday afternoon when he was handed a piece of paper: The Harvey County Sheriff’s office had served him with a protection from abuse order.

He says there were still 200 or 300 other people in the factory and that “the shooter wasn’t done by any means”.

Authorities said he killed three people and wounded 14 before being shot dead by an officer.

An affidavit says the Newton woman gave Cedric Ford two guns: a Zastava Serbia, which is an AK-47-type semi-automatic rifle, and a Glock Model 22 40-caliber handgun.

President Obama called for more concern about mass shootings during a speech in Jacksonville on Friday.

Breitbart News reported that Ford began shooting at individuals as he drove to Excel Industries in Hesston, Kansas, around 5 p.m. He did the most damage when he finally reached the Excel building and ran inside, randomly shooting. A short time later, he shot someone else in the leg at an intersection, authorities said. Ford was supposed to relieve him, he said, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Later Thursday night, several law enforcement vehicles surrounded the suspect’s home in a Newton trailer park.

Gov. Sam Brownback offered his condolences to the people of Hesston, which is 35 miles north of Wichita.

The governor called the shooting at the Excel Industries lawnmower parts plant a awful tragedy.

Ford recently moved to the area from Miami, and had an extensive criminal record, including a history of prowling, loitering and illegal weapons possession, media reports said.

“I hear about these shootings at theatres and things, and it’s just a mess…it’s terrible”, an eyewitness said, referring to other mass shootings across the country.

KSN contacted Wesley Medical Center in Wichita who told us that they now have four patients with three in serious condition and one in fair condition.

Yet one of his Excel co-workers, Matt Jarrell, described Ford as “a mellow guy” and “somebody I could talk to about anything”.

Moments before the two clocked in at work at the same time Thursday, they were talking about Ford’s new truck, Jarrell said. That information pertained to a different man, Cedric Lanard Ford, not the Kansas gunman, Cedric Larry Ford.

The officer who exchanged fire with the shooter was not injured.

Walton said authorities are expected to release the name of the officer later in the morning.

Walton didn’t identify the officer or the attacker.

While it wasn’t immediately clear what led to that, Walton said, “I believe that probably is the trigger, and it went from there”.

“Currently we have 14 people in various hospitals”, Walton said.

While driving to the factory, the gunman shot a man on the street, striking him in the shoulder.

The sheriff said that “protection from abuse” restraining orders are usually made “because you’re in a relationship where there’s been some kind of violent occurrence”.