VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A man who was about to be evicted from his apartment opened fire, killing two people and wounding three others before killing himself, police said Thursday.
Police identified the gunman as William T. Smith, 52. It was not clear why he was being evicted.
Employees at the apartment complex went to Smith's apartment Wednesday afternoon to inspect it prior to his eviction, police spokeswoman Margie Long said.
"At that point, the suspect started to shoot at the employees," Long said.
SWAT team members zeroed in on a two-story brick apartment building and began issuing orders by loudspeaker to the gunman to come out around 7 p.m.
Matthew Jette, an area resident, told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper of Norfolk that he and others heard between 10 to 15 shots, starting out slowly then getting faster.
Several streets were closed off and residents were told to stay indoors. A high school was locked down, with participants in after school activities being kept indoors, schools spokeswoman Kathleen O'Hara told the newspaper.
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