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A gunman walked into a 31-story office in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday morning and opened fire, fatally shooting three people and injuring two others before he was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police officers, the authorities said.
The Gunman was identified as Omar Enrique Santa Perez, 29, of North Bend, Ohio, which is about 15 miles west of Cincinnati, Chief Isaac Eliot of the Cincinnati Police Department told reporters on Thursday afternoon. He said Mr. Perez had acted alone. While officials were unsure of his motive, the chief said he had "some mental health issues."
"This is clearly an act of grotesque violence to innocent people and it should be frightened of," Mayor John Cranley said. "It has happened too much around this country and we have a country to get to figure out how to end it."
9:10 AM about shots fired at Fifth Third Center Building, Chief Isaac said. He said the police believed that the gunman had entered a dock loading and began firing. He then moved into one of the building's two lobbies and was "engaged" by four police officers, the chief said.
Chief Isaac said the officers and the gunman exchanged gunfire. He said Mr. Perez was shot multiple times by the officers, he was handcuffed. No officers were injured.
Mr. Perez used 9 millimeter semiautomatic pistol in the shootings and had multiple magazines and a few hundred rounds of ammunition, the chief said. Officials believe that Mr. Perez obtained the pistol legally. Before entering the lobby and opening fire, Mr. Perez went into several businesses around Fountain Square, including a Potbelly Sandwich Shop, the chief said.
The authorities did not believe that Mr. Perez had been appointed Chief Isaac said.
About 3,000 people work in the tower, which rises above the Fountain Square area, the downtown business district in the city of about 298,000.
The tower houses the corporate headquarters for Fifth Third Bank, Fifth Third Bank, which has a branch adjoining the tower.
Richard Newcomer, a 64-year-old employee of a construction company, said Gilbane Building Company, said a spokesman for the company. Mr. Newcomer was an experienced superintendent who told Wes Cotter, said the spokesman.
"He was a great employee," Mr. Cotter said. "We are just heartbroken. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time this morning. "
Officials had not released the names of the rest of the victims of Thursday evening. They said they planned to do so on Friday.
The police chief said on the scene, while the others were transported to a hospital. He said some of the victims were shot several times.
The police searched Mr. Perez's home in North Bend, Chief Isaac said, noting that the department would be responsible for the shooting.
U.C. Health, which runs at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, said in a Twitter post on the morning of the morning Two of the people were dead, the post said. A spokeswoman said in a statement later on the day that one is in condition, and the other is in fair condition.
Stacie Haas, vice president of public relations for Fifth Third Bank, said in a statement that the shooting was a "terrible event."
"We continue to work with the safety of our employees and customers," the statement said.
Laura Trujillo, a spokeswoman for Fifth Third Bank, said in her statement that the gunman "was not a former employee or employee bank employee."
The tower has two lobbies, one with access to Fountain Square and one that opens onto Walnut Street. Four retail food businesses in the lobbies, which are separated by a bank of elevators. The loading dock is on Walnut Street.
Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, called the shooting "A senseless act of gun violence" and commended the authorities who responded. He said the state would provide to the local police.
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