Local

Forsyth shooting: Motive unclear in workplace shooting

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A memorial site is growing Tuesday with flowers and other mementos outside a business where five people were shot and killed Monday by a former disgruntled worker, Orange County deputies said. Eight survivors escaped the shooting.

The shooting happened just after 8 a.m. Monday at Fiamma Inc. on Forsyth Road near Hanging Moss Road in Fern Park.

"It's sad. Those people just came to work," said nearby business owner Najwa Daher.

John Robert Neumann Jr., 45, fatally shot Robert Snyder, 69, Kevin Lawson, 46, Brenda Montanez-Crespo, 44, Kevin Clark, 53, and Jeff Roberts, 57, before turning the gun on himself, deputies said.

Neumann was fired in April and deputies said he singled out his victims.

"I heard a reason why John Neumann was fired from his company, but that's not for me to tell because I don't know that factually," said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.

Search for clues

Investigators seized computers from Neumann's home in hopes it may provide clues on the motive behind the killings.

Tammy Roberts, the wife of victim of Jeffrey Roberts, told Eyewitness News that after Neumann was fired, the company put in tighter security, including making sure the doors were always locked.

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"Nothing specific. It was just a feeling I believe was shared by everyone there," said Tammy Roberts.

She told Eyewitness News that there was more than one incident and problem with the former employee, but she gave no specifics.

Eyewitness News learned that the families of Kevin Lawson, 46, and Brenda Montanez-Crespo, 44, had a conversation this past weekend saying they thought something was going to happen. It's unclear why they thought that.

Demings said all of the information is under investigation.

"Was it predictable? I don't know enough about him to say whether or not it was predictable. What I can tell you is that we in law enforcement were never notified of any of these circumstance involving him," Demings said. "If we had been notified, we would have been able to take action."

Returning to normal

Workers at nearby businesses told Channel 9's Cuthbert Langley on Tuesday that they're trying to get back to normal.

Christian Alvarez said one of the survivors who came face-to-face with Neumann ran to his store for help.

"The girl came crying, screaming, like, 'Help. I need some help,'" Alvarez said.

Investigators seized computers from Neumann's home in hopes it may provide clues on the motive behind the killings.

Fiamma, which is based in Italy, released a statement about the shooting.

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