Gunman kills 4 in Hesston, Kansas.

[Hand]

A gunman killed three people in shootings that ended at a lawn care company in Kansas on Thursday, authorities said.

An additional 14 people were injured -- 10 of whom are in critical condition at local hospitals.

The shooter was also killed by police, bringing the total number of fatalities to four.

Authorities first got calls about a man shooting from a vehicle in Newton about 5 p.m., the Harvey County Sheriff's Office said.

Minutes later, there were reports of a shooting at Excel Industries, which makes lawn care equipment in Hesston, Kansas.

"Everybody says it can't happen here," Walton said. "And here we are. It happened here."

'A mellow guy'
Matt Jarrell, a painter at Excel, told CNN that Cedric Ford -- his co-worker and friend -- is the suspected shooter.

"Never in a million years" would he expect his friend to do something like this, Jarrell told CNN affiliate KSNW.

"He was a mellow guy," Jarrell said. "He was 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.

About two hours into his shift, it was time for Jarrell's break. Ford was supposed to relieve him, he said, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Jarrell went outside, and the new truck were gone. A few minutes later, Ford returned in a different car, he said.

"He just parked and then opened up the door, hopped out with the gun on, strapped-up and everything," Jarrell said.

Ford yelled "hey" at a bystander nearby and then shot that person.

"I witnessed him shoot the shots. I saw the shell casings come out of the assault rifle," Jarrell said. "I mean, that vivid. I can still see it."

Authorities confirmed the shooter was an employee at Excel, but did not release a name or a motive. Walton said terrorism is not a factor.

"There was some things that triggered this particular individual," he said, declining to get into details.

Continued

[Pete]

Not going to be a big splash in the news and drug out for a week or so. Perp had priors.

Sorry for the victims and their families.

[Pete]

Told you. No belly lint inspection on this one.

[Paslode]

Nothing to see here because the shooter was missing the markers needed to press the agenda.

[Pete]

So the shooter's ex girlfriend with which they have two children knows he's a convicted felon and can't own guns.

So the shooter's ex breaks up with him for domestic abuse and gets him served with a restraining order.

So with all this swirling around she gives him the AK clone and the pistol.

So was she "THAT" smart or flat out "THAT" stupid.

Well, she's been arrested at least.

[Hand]

Originally Posted by Pete

Not going to be a big splash in the news and drug out for a week or so. Perp had priors.

Sorry for the victims and their families.

You were right Pete. I was hoping you would be wrong.

[Streck-Fu]

Originally Posted by Pete

So the shooter's ex girlfriend with which they have two children knows he's a convicted felon and can't own guns.

So the shooter's ex breaks up with him for domestic abuse and gets him served with a restraining order.

So with all this swirling around she gives him the AK clone and the pistol.

So was she "THAT" smart or flat out "THAT" stupid.

Well, she's been arrested at least.

According to this article, the ex-girlfriend that got the restraining order is not the same as the ex-GF that gave him the guns. LINK

A Kansas woman was charged Friday with giving guns to the felon who shot up a Kansas plant, federal prosecutors said.

Sarah Hopkins, 28, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of transferring the Zastava AK-47-style semi-automatic rifle and a Glock .40-caliber handgun to ex-boyfriend Cedric Ford, 38. She is charged with one count of transfer of a weapon to a convicted felon.

Prosecutors said Hopkins knew Ford was a convicted felon and was not allowed to have the firearms. The ATF said Hopkins told investigators she had been in a relationship with Ford but moved out in July 2015.

Hopkins is not the woman who sought a protection from abuse order in February, which was served to Ford at work about 90 minutes before the first shooting began, authorities said.
.....
Hopkins told an ATF agent on Friday that she took the guns from the Newton home they once shared in August of 2015, but returned them to Ford after he threatened her, according to a criminal complaint.

An employee of a pawn shop said Hopkins bought the guns in March 2014 and later pawned them, the agent wrote in the affidavit.

On Feb. 5, Hopkins allegedly got the AK-47-type rifle out of pawn on Feb. 5. It is unclear from the affidavit when the Glock was taken out of pawn.