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Orlando office shooter kills at least 1

Suspect arrested is ex-employee of construction firm

Last Updated: Friday, November 6, 2009 | 6:17 PM ET

A former employee of an Orlando engineering and construction company has been arrested after a shooting rampage that killed at least one person at the office.

At least five others were wounded in Friday's shooting, officials said.

Jason Rodriguez, 40, was taken into custody in the afternoon after SWAT police secured and searched the highrise building.

Rodriguez surrendered to police at his mother's home, officials said. Asked by a reporter outside the police station why he did it, he replied: "Because they left me to rot."

A handgun was used to fire at several employees on the eighth floor of the building, according to Florida police.

People streamed out of the building around lunchtime and some told local television stations they had barricaded themselves inside their offices.

Gerry Gilgo, who works on the floor where the shooting occurred, told The Associated Press she was meeting a co-worker at the elevators for lunch.

"She yelled. 'There are gunshots! There are gunshots! Get back in your office,'" Gilgo said.

Interstate 4 was closed in both directions through downtown and a nearby school was locked down during Friday's hunt for the shooting suspect.

Rows of ambulances could be seen lined up outside the building as police snipers took up positions around the building, and officers on foot and horseback searched the area.

With files from The Associated Press
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