News Service from House Harris

US: Man kills four at gathering in Miami, then kills himself

MIAMI, Florida, March 15 AP - A man shot four people to death at a family gathering early on Sunday, then went home and killed himself, police said.

The shootings apparently stemmed from some sort of domestic dispute, a sergeant with the Miami Police Department's homicide division said.

Officers got a call shortly after midnight that numerous shots had been fired and a red pickup truck had been spotted leaving the scene. They arrived and found four bodies.

Soon after, someone called police to say a building about 5km away was on fire and more shots had been heard. That's where they found the alleged gunman dead.

Janseen Almodovar, who lives across the street, rushed outside when he heard people screaming and honking. He said the entire building and a truck out front were in flames.

"We thought the truck was going to blow up," Almodovar said.

Panicked neighbours were not sure if anyone was inside the one-storey ivory stucco building, but they could not knock because the fire was so intense.

Police did not release the names of those who died because family members had not been notified. They said the gunman may have been upset because his wife had left him, but they are still investigating.

Landlord Abel Loredo, who owns building where the alleged gunman shot himself, said the man had lived there for five years and had always been on time with the rent for his one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment.

Loredo declined to identify the man but said he had moved from Cuba about a decade ago. The man was a cook at a restaurant in nearby Little Havana for a time before becoming an electrician a few years ago.

Neighbours said there had never been any problems with police and the man and his wife were often seen in their yard barbecuing.