News24com Former army sniper kills 4 including baby boy in Florida shooting spree

A former sniper in the US military went on a shooting spree in central Florida, killing four people, including an infant boy in his mother's arms, officials said on Sunday.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Bryan Riley, shot and killed a 40-year-old man, a 33-year-old woman and her 3-month-old son in a residential area in Polk County, Florida, said County Sheriff Grady Judd. 

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The fourth victim was the child's 62-year-old grandmother.

Riley, who was wearing full body armour, also wounded an 11-year-old girl before surrendering himself to the police following an intense gunfight, Judd said.

Riley, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, told the police he was a "survivalist" and that he had been taking methamphetamine.

The suspect also told the police, without elaborating: "You know why I did this," according to a statement from Judd published on social media.

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Riley was wounded in the gunfight and was rushed to a local hospital, where he again tried to attack police officers and had to be sedated.

After he received medical help, the suspect was transferred to a local jail.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the attack, Judd said. 

An investigation is under way.

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