At least eight people were killed in a shooting at a FedEx facility near Indianapolis late Thursday night, authorities confirmed early Friday morning.
Multiple other people were injured and either drove themselves to hospitals or were taken in ambulances, said Genea Cook, a public information officer for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. At least one person who was taken to the hospital in an ambulance was in critical condition with a gunshot wound.
In an earlier update, Cook said that authorities responded to reports of a shooting around 11 p.m. Thursday. When officers arrived on the scene, they came into contact with an active shooter.
The gunman took his own life. Cook said it was too early to know whether the gunman was an employee at the facility.
No police officers were injured in the altercation.
Video footage showed a heavy police presence at the scene, and a major highway was temporarily closed near the building in both directions due to the response.
Jeremiah Miller, who had just finished a shift and was preparing to start a second consecutive shift, said he heard about 10 gunshots, according to WISH-TV.
“I saw a man with a submachine gun of some sort, an automatic rifle, and he was firing in the open. I immediately ducked down and got scared and my friend’s mother, she came in and told us to get inside the car,” he said.
Family members of the facility’s workers have been asked to gather at a nearby Holiday Inn to await details. Some said employees were not allowed to use their phones at work which was making contacting them difficult, AP reported.
FedEx issued a statement early Friday and described the attack as “tragic.”
“We are aware of the tragic shooting at our FedEx Ground facility near the Indianapolis airport,” FedEx said in a statement. “Safety is our top priority, and our thoughts are with all those who are affected. We are working to gather more information and are cooperating with investigating authorities.”
Rep. André Carlson (D-Ind.) said in a tweet that he was “heartbroken” by the attack:
Last week, Carson publicly supported President Joe Biden’s executive orders directing the Justice Department to limit the proliferation of guns.
“I welcome his executive actions on gun safety. Congress must also continue our efforts to pass common sense reforms that save lives,” Carson tweeted.
Police plan to hold another news conference about the FedEx shooting on Friday morning.
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