Ralph Gonzales, with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, gives an update into a workplace shooting where two people were killed and three were injured Wednesday, May 4, 2016.
A man recently fired from a Houston-area transportation center returned to his former workplace Wednesday morning with a shotgun, fatally shooting one co-worker and injuring two others before taking his own life, police said.
Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said the employee, who had been terminated two weeks ago, returned to Knight Transportation's Katy Service Center at about 8:45 a.m. and walked through the front door carrying two guns — a shotgun and a pistol -- and shouted that his life had been ruined.
Witnesses inside the facility told police the man fired a "warning shot" toward an employee break area before moving through the building as if he were looking for someone in particular.
"He parked right outside the building and came straight in," Hickman said. "That we know of, only the shotgun was used."
After gunning down a former co-worker, police said the shooter committed suicide.
The identities of those involved have not been released, but Hickman speculated the victim was the former employee's supervisor.
The surviving victims suffered only minor injuries from shrapnel and were not hospitalized, police said. An officer fell to his knee while entering the building and was taken to the hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing and police continue to interview witnesses.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Police have not said how long the man worked for the Phoenix-based company which provides nationwide truckload transportation services.
The company confirmed an employee was killed during the shooting, saying: "Our deepest sympathies are with the family during this difficult time."
"This was the action of a lone former employee," the company added. "Knight is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of all of its employees."
Four schools near the Franz Road service center — Franz Elementary, Morton Ranch Elementary, Morton Ranch Junior High and Morton Ranch High School — were locked down as a precaution Wednesday morning, school officials said. All lockdowns have been lifted.
NBC's Ari Mason and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Editor's note: Police initially said the gunman had been terminated earlier Wednesday. The story has been updated to reflect that he was terminated two weeks ago.
