Gunman among 7 dead in Florida apartment shooting

Fox News

Seven people were killed, including the gunman, in an overnight shooting at a South Florida apartment building, authorities said.

Police Sgt. Eddie Rodriguez told Fox News that the gunman was shot dead by a SWAT team following a standoff at a five-story building in Hialeah, just a few miles north of Miami.  

Although a crisis team was able to briefly establish communication with the man, Rodriguez told The Associated Press talks eventually “just fell apart” with the gunman, who was holding two hostages on the fifth floor. Both of them survived when officers stormed the building, fatally shooting the gunman during an exchange of gunfire.

The dead bodies of three women and two men were found at two different apartment units inside the building, which Rodriguez said was in a “very quiet neighborhood.” Another man who was walking his children into an apartment across the street also was killed.

Rodriguez said it wasn’t immediately clear whether the gunman took aim at him from an upper-level balcony or if he was hit by a stray bullet.

“From up there, he was able to shoot at people across the street, catching this one man who was just walking into his apartment,” Rodriguez said.

WSVN.com reported that the manager of the West 46th Street apartment building and his wife were among the victims. Rodriguez said police were still investigating the motive and identifying the gunman and victims.

“Investigators are talking with families of the victims, neighbors, people that were present when all this began,” he said. “That way we can start to piece together this huge puzzle that we’re working with.”

Click here for more from WSVN.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/07/27/7-killed-in-florida-apartment-building-shooting/#ixzz2aFSrOMFI