73-year-old Arizona man kills 5 before shooting self

73-year-old Arizona man kills 5 before shooting self

2011-06-03 06:12:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

YUMA, ARIZONA (BNO NEWS) -- A 73-year-old Arizona man on Thursday killed 5 people during a violent shooting spree, before killing himself, officials said.

Carey Hal Dyess, 73, from Yuma, Arizona, is the primary suspect behind the series of shootings carried out in Arizona's Yuma County, some 185 miles southwest from Phoenix, the Yuma Police Department said.

According to media reports, among the fatal victims were Dyess' estranged wife and her divorce lawyer, but authorities said they were still investigating the five shootings in the area, as the victims' identities have not been released.

In addition to the five fatal victims, a sixth person was wounded and was flown to a Phoenix hospital to receive further medical treatment. After the shootings began at around 9 a.m. local time, several schools announced a lockdown, but they have reportedly reopened since.

Police said Dyess was later found dead at 11:30 a.m. local time in Yuma's Blaisdell area near highway 95 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"Like all Arizonans, I am horrified at the news of today's tragic shooting deaths in and around Yuma," Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said. "Many questions remain unanswered at this point, but I know that law enforcement and investigators will be working to piece together this tragedy in the days ahead."

"In the meantime, this cruel violence has left a void in our hearts. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy and their families, as well as the Yuma community," Brewer added.

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