Two dead, five hurt in US shooting spree

A witness speaks with investigators at one of multiple scenes of a shooting spree involving seven victims in Gainesville, Florida. Photo / AP

GAINESVILLE, Florida - A gunman driving around Gainesville in a red pickup truck went on a shooting spree Monday afternoon, leaving two people dead and five others wounded, police said.

Police originally told The Gainesville Sun that the gunman was among those shot but later would only tell The Associated Press that he was no longer at large.

The gunman shot seemingly unrelated people, starting around 4 p.m., Gainesville police Cpl. Tscharna Senn said. Five people were shot within city limits, while the other two were shot in Alachua County, Senn said.

There was no immediate motive for the shootings.

"We have no idea right now, absolutely none," Senn told the Gainesville Sun. "It appears to be random."

Senn would not tell the AP whether the suspect was dead, wounded or arrested.

Police Capt. Ed Book told the Sun earlier that the suspect had been pulled over and shot himself.

"We believe we're with the suspect and the vehicle, and there is no one out there running around," Book said earlier.

The wounded were being taken to Shands Hospital, where family members were gathering.

Gainesville, which is in the north-central part of the state, is home to the University of Florida. There was no immediate link between the school and the shooting.

-AP