3 dead, 2 wounded in California office shooting

IRWINDALE, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say two people wounded in a Southern California office park shooting spree are listed in critical condition at local hospitals.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Holly Francisco says one woman and one man are currently being treated for life-threatening wounds.

Three men, including the shooter, died in Friday's shooting at Southern California Edison offices in Irwindale, which forced a lockdown of the large office complex and nearby schools.

The shooter and all the victims are employees of the utility company.

Officers from surrounding cities and the sheriff's SWAT team responded.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

A white collar utility company worker shot four colleagues Friday, fatally wounding two and then killed himself in an office park outside Los Angeles.

"As far as we know there was one shooting suspect, period," said Baldwin Park police Capt. Michael Taylor.

The shooting around 1:30 p.m. at Southern California Edison offices forced a lockdown of a large office complex and nearby schools as officers from surrounding cities and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department's SWAT team responded.

"This is one of the most horrible days in our company's history," said Edison International Chairman and CEO Ted Craver. "We are deeply saddened by today's tragic events."

One of the shooting victims was a woman and the other four were men. Four were company employees and the fifth was a contract worker.

Craver did not specify which were living or dead, and he was careful not to provide identifying details for the victims, saying the company was still working to contact family members.

There was no immediate word on what prompted the gunfire.

Police could not confirm media reports that at least two of the targeted victims were believed to be company managers.

One of the dead was discovered inside the building during a sweep, and police were continuing their search for more victims, said Taylor.

Another victim died en route to a hospital. The two wounded had unspecified injuries and their conditions were not known.

No gunfire was exchanged after officers arrived.

As police cars, ambulances and fire trucks surrounded the building, dozens of workers emerged with their hands over their heads.

The complex is surrounded by a fence and patrolled by a security guard. Employees need a security card to get into the building, said Gil Alexander, a spokesman for Southern California Edison. About 200 employees work at the facility.

The utility's office is in a complex of buildings that also includes a business called California Lighting Sales.

Cindy Gutierrez, the controller for that company, said employees there didn't hear gunshots and didn't realize anything was amiss until building management announced over the intercom that everyone should stay indoors.

Two nearby schools were locked for about two hours after the shooting and no one on the campuses was hurt.

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