The 19-year-old FedEx shooting suspect, who killed eight people late Thursday and injured seven others, was reported to law enforcement officials last year by his mother, officials said Friday afternoon.
The mother reported the suspect, whose name has been withheld per Daily Wire policy, to law enforcement in March 2020 out of concern that he might try to commit “suicide by cop,” FBI special agent for Indianapolis Paul Keenan said in a statement Friday.
“The suspect was placed on immediate detention mental health temporary hold by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department,” Keenan said of the 2020 incident with the suspect. “A shotgun was seized at his residence. Based on items observed in the suspect’s bedroom at that time, he was interviewed by the FBI in April 2020.”
Keenan said that “no criminal violation was found” and the suspect didn’t indicate support for any racially motivated ideological extremism while he was under assessment. The shotgun wasn’t returned.
Law enforcement officials have not yet determined a motive for the shooting, which according to FedEx, killed eight employees of the company. Five others were hospitalized, including one person who was critical, but expected to survive, according to The Associated Press.
“I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and co-workers of those team members. Our priority right now is in responding to the situation on the ground and helping our team members and law enforcement,” said FedEx CEO Frederick Smith.
“This is a devastating day, and words are hard to describe the emotions we all feel. Please keep the Indianapolis team and surrounding community in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to support and care for each other in the difficult days ahead,” he added.
Officials have said that the suspect, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, worked for FedEx as recently as last year. The circumstances of his departure remain unclear.
Craig McCartt, deputy police chief for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, said Friday that there were at least 100 people at the FedEx ground facility when the shooting started, shortly after 11pm. Many of the employees at the location were either arriving for the start of their shift or having a dinner break, said the deputy police chief.
“The suspect came to the facility, and when he came there, he got out of his car and pretty quickly started some random shooting outside the facility,” he said earlier Friday. “There was no confrontation with anyone that was there. There was no disturbance, there was no argument, he just appeared to randomly start shooting. And that began in the parking lot, and then he did go into the building, into the facility for a brief period of time.”
“Our MPD officers went towards danger, as they typically do, and when they arrived on the scene they found something that really no one should see. We’ve all been shaken by this heinous act,” said Police Chief Randal Taylor.