Suspect in shooting at Ohio warehouse that killed 1 and injured 5 is in custody, police say

A man accused of killing one person and injuring five others when he opened fire Tuesday night at the New Albany, Ohio, warehouse where he worked has been arrested, police said.

Bruce Reginald Foster III, 28, was arrested at a home in nearby Columbus, police said Wednesday. The handgun attack took place around 10:30 p.m. at the KDC/One cosmetics facility, where authorities say he worked.

Foster is facing an aggravated murder charge, according to an arrest warrant filed in Licking County Court.

Police have named Bruce Reginald Foster III as a suspect in the shooting. - City of New Albany
Police have named Bruce Reginald Foster III as a suspect in the shooting. - City of New Albany

The shooting appears to have been targeted, authorities said, noting they are still working to determine a motive.

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The gunman had already fled when officers arrived at the shooting scene, Police Chief Greg Jones said. Authorities found one person dead at the scene, and five others were injured. They remain hospitalized on Wednesday, Jones said.

Officers evacuated the roughly 150 people from the warehouse to a nearby building, police said.

The incident was the 26th mass shooting in the US so far this year, according to a tally by the Gun Violence Archive and CNN. CNN and the GVA define a mass shooting as one that injured or killed four or more people, not including the shooter. Hundreds of people are killed on the job every year in the United States.

In the Ohio attack, the suspect and victims all worked at the warehouse, and the suspect had been on site for several hours before he started shooting, said Jones. There was no conflict or confrontation that appeared to prompt the violence, he added, noting that some of what happened was caught on camera.

The handgun used in the shooting was found in the warehouse and had been “lawfully purchased” by Foster in September, Daryl McCormick, a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Columbus Field Division, said Wednesday afternoon.

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The suspect, who authorities believe acted alone, fled the warehouse after hailing a rideshare service, Jones said.

KDC/One manufactures beauty, personal care and home care products, its website states.

The shooting is a “heartbreaking and tragic situation,” Jones said.

“Our officers, alongside multiple agencies, responded swiftly to protect lives and secure the scene. We train for situations like this, and while it is something no community ever wants to face, we were prepared to act quickly and effectively. We will continue working to bring this situation to a full resolution,” said Jones.

New Albany is roughly 15 miles northeast of the state capital, Columbus.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Kelly McCleary contributed to this report.

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