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Alabama gunman kills 9, including 4 relatives
‘He cleaned his family out,’ coroner says; mom dies inside her burned house
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
updated 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
GENEVA, Ala. - Nine people were gunned down in a terrifying rampage across two Alabama counties by a lone shooter who authorities said burned down his mother's home with her inside, killed his own relatives on their porch and shot apparent strangers and police before killing himself.
Tuesday's shootings in a mostly rural area near the Florida border were believed to be the work of Michael McLendon, who lived with his mother and had once worked at a local metal plant.
The bloodshed began when McLendon burned down his mother's house in Kinston, according to Coffee County Coroner Robert Preachers. Authorities found Lisa McLendon's body inside, but they had not determined how she died or whether she was a 10th victim of her son's spree.
McLendon then drove a dozen miles southeast to Samson, in Geneva County, where he took down nine victims, including four members of his family. The rampage ended another 12 miles farther east in Geneva at the metals plant where McLendon had once worked. After a shootout with police, McLendon killed himself.
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There had recently been layoffs at the plant, but it was not immediately known if McLendon was among those losing their jobs. A person who answered the phone at the plant said no one could talk about the shooting.
Samson Mayor Clay King said he knew the gunman and the victims.
‘He cleaned his family out,’ coroner says; mom dies inside her burned house
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
updated 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
GENEVA, Ala. - Nine people were gunned down in a terrifying rampage across two Alabama counties by a lone shooter who authorities said burned down his mother's home with her inside, killed his own relatives on their porch and shot apparent strangers and police before killing himself.
Tuesday's shootings in a mostly rural area near the Florida border were believed to be the work of Michael McLendon, who lived with his mother and had once worked at a local metal plant.
The bloodshed began when McLendon burned down his mother's house in Kinston, according to Coffee County Coroner Robert Preachers. Authorities found Lisa McLendon's body inside, but they had not determined how she died or whether she was a 10th victim of her son's spree.
McLendon then drove a dozen miles southeast to Samson, in Geneva County, where he took down nine victims, including four members of his family. The rampage ended another 12 miles farther east in Geneva at the metals plant where McLendon had once worked. After a shootout with police, McLendon killed himself.
.........
There had recently been layoffs at the plant, but it was not immediately known if McLendon was among those losing their jobs. A person who answered the phone at the plant said no one could talk about the shooting.
Samson Mayor Clay King said he knew the gunman and the victims.
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