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CNN Live At Daybreak

Despondent Man Kills Self in Shoot Out With Police

Aired September 10, 2001 - 08:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYSA DANIELS, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get right to those California shootings that you talked about.

First, the former security guard wanted in connection with a deadly shooting spree is dead. Police in Sacramento, California believe Joseph Ferguson killed five people and injured two more people before taking his own life early this morning.

CNN's James Hattori has late details from California -- and, James, I guess you're at the scene where it all ended, right?

Good morning, Kysa.

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the weekend manhunt ended in a shootout with police here in eastern Sacramento County. The suspect, 20-year-old Joseph Ferguson, was cornered in a car. You probably can't see it. It's dark back there. It ended when he died apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Via a tip from a citizen led police to this location last night at about 11:30. A tense shootout ensued -- Ferguson firing as many as 50 rounds. One CHP officer and a bystander were wounded. They're apparently going to be OK.

The suspect -- this was all after the suspect killed a fifth victim yesterday apparently -- another Burns Security employee. Now, Ferguson was suspected of killing three other Burns guards, including his ex-girlfriend and one City Park employee, Saturday night.

Now, during yesterday's manhunt, while Ferguson was apparently holding his fifth victim hostage, he made a videotape, according to police, showing himself and talking about threatening to harm more people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He, in essence, gave his final message to us and to his family. He pretty much was bent on killing some additional people and his message was that he was going to shoot it out with the police officers. He was prepared that if along the way he was wounded and bleeding, he was going to commit suicide. And we believe that that's pretty much how it concluded.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HATTORI: Authorities searched Ferguson's home yesterday. It turned up some material that indicated he had some connection with a white supremacist group or an interest in a white supremacist group -- also a number of weapons.

As for a motive, they are still apparently pursuing the belief that he was laid off from his job as a Burns security guard last week, and that apparently is what set it all off -- Kysa.

DANIELS: All right, James, lots more to come from this story -- we'll look for updates from you throughout the day.

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