Fireman Dead in Fla. Wendy's Shooting

Unemployed gunman injured 5 others before taking own life
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 3, 2008 8:00 PM CST
Fireman Dead in Fla. Wendy's Shooting
This video frame grab image provided by WPEC-TV in Palm Beach, Fla. shows law enforcement personnel at the scene of a shooting in West Palm Beach, Fla. Monday March 3, 2008. A gunman burst into the Wendy's restaurant at lunchtime Monday, killing one person and injuring five others before killing himself,...   (Associated Press)

A gunman killed a local firefighter and wounded five others in a West Palm Beach Wendy's today before taking his own life, the Palm Beach Post reports. Shooter Alburn Edward Blake left no suicide note but was said by one witness to be an ex-worker at the restaurant. "Looks like this was just another random shooting like we've seen around the United States," a Palm Beach County Sheriff's spokesman told the AP.

Blake reportedly entered the restaurant just after noon with a 9mm Glock and gunned down Palm Beach County fire Lt. Rafael Vazquez, a father of five who had walked in to claim a free toy for his son's meal. His wife and 4-year-old son had just left the restaurant. Blake critically wounded three others who are said to be improving under hospital care. (More shooting stories.)

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