DEVASTATING

Florida Man’s Shooting Spree Kills Four, Including Infant: Cops

The alleged shooter was reportedly high on meth and “ready for battle.”

A deranged Florida man high on meth went on a shooting rampage and murdered four people Sunday morning, including an infant, according to the local sheriff. An 11-year-old who shot at least seven times was also rushed into surgery. In a press conference on Sunday, Polk County sheriff Grady Judd said the alleged gunman, a 33-year-old former Marine named Bryan Riley, was dressed in full body armor and was a self-described “survivalist” that came “ready for battle.” Judd said Riley was high on methamphetamine during his shooting spree and that he seems to have targeted his victims at random.

Deputies said they responded to calls Saturday night about suspicious activity after a woman told authorities about a man who came to her door and proclaimed, “I’m here to talk to Amber, you see, God sent me here because she’s going to commit suicide.” At about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, an officer responded to 911 calls about “two volleys of automatic gunfire.”

Once confronted, the suspect shot at police officers, firing dozens “if not hundreds of rounds” at them. When the officers fired back at him, hitting the suspect once, he surrendered with his hands up.

Upon entering the house, the officers discovered the bodies of a 40-year-old man named Justice Gleason, a 33-year-old woman, and her 3-month-old baby, which was in her arms when police found the corpses, said Judd. Their 62-year-old neighbor was also shot and killed. He added that an 11-year-old girl was wounded in the attack, having been shot at least seven times, but is expected to survive.