‘No Clear Motive’ in Florida Shooting Spree, Police Say

PALM BAY, Fla. —  Police said today the suspect in 7 1/2-hour shooting rampage at two shopping centers here “hasn’t stated a clear motive for what he did,” as they revised from eight to six the number people killed.

William Cruse, about 60, of Palm Bay was arrested after police fired tear gas into the store where he held three hostages early today and wrestled him to the ground.

He was charged with 6 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of attempted first-degree murder and multiple other counts, including kidnaping, Palm Bay Police Chief Charles Simmons said at a morning news conference.

At least 14 people were injured, two critically. The three hostages were freed unharmed. The dead include two police officers.

The gunman was in contact with police by telephone during the siege, but he “was incoherent, rambled,” and “went in melancholy fits of rage,” Simmons said.

“He asked for cars and airplanes and a number of things,” but not money, Simmons said.

“He hasn’t stated a clear motive for what he did,” police spokeswoman Louise Brown added.

Fired at Two Boys

A neighbor of Cruse, Marguerite Hall, told the Orlando Sentinel that he had fired a gun Thursday evening at two boys who had teased him, then drove away. The boys apparently were not harmed.

On previous occasions Cruse had fired shots into the air, and was being teased by children because he allegedly had exposed himself to local boys last week, she said.

The gunman, who police said was armed with two rifles, opened fire at 6:25 p.m. Thursday at a Publix supermarket, then continued shooting as he made his way across the street into a Winn Dixie supermarket.

“This guy was shooting at anything in sight,” said Stephanie Call, who worked in one of the shopping centers. “He didn’t care. He was amazing. He wasn’t aiming. He was just shooting at anything.”

“I felt one bullet go right through the top of my hair,” said Fletcher Redmond, 62, a jewelry store owner in one of the shopping centers. “I just dropped to the floor. I just knew the next shot was going to be lower.”

Witnesses said the gunman continued to fire at people, including an elderly couple, after they fell to the ground.

Around 1 a.m., the gunman released the last of the people held hostage in the store because “he didn’t want to hurt any more women,” Brown said from the scene.