Alleged Fla. office shooter deeply in debt

Published: Nov. 6, 2009 at 11:30 PM

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The suspect in the Orlando, Fla., office high-rise shooting that left one person dead and five wounded had filed for bankruptcy, records show.

Jason Rodriguez, 40, who police said was arrested Friday at his mother's apartment a few hours after the gunfire at the Legions Place building, had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May, CNN reported Friday.

He had listed assets of $4,675 and liabilities of $89,873 in the filing. His 2002 Nissan accounted for all but $675 of his assets.

Rodriguez had been let go by Reynolds, Smith and Hills architectural and engineering firm, located in the building, because of performance issues in June 2007.

As he was being escorted into a police station, reporters asked Rodriguez why he had opened fire.

"Because they left me to rot," he said.

Later police said he had apologized while being taken into custody, saying: "I'm just going through a tough time right now. I'm sorry."

Witnesses at the apartment complex where his mother lives said Rodriguez surrendered peaceably, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

"I really wish I knew his motive," Orlando Police Chief Val Demings said.

The victims were taken to several Orlando-area hospitals.

Rodriguez listed his monthly income as a "sandwich artist" at an Orlando Subway restaurant, where he had worked nine months, as $890.67; his monthly expenses, $815.

CNN said a Subway spokesman confirmed Rodriguez had worked for the company but left six weeks ago.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
College bowl season opens Saturday (9 min)
Doc Holliday named Marshall football coach (36 min)
Octopus tool-using behavior seen
Fake rifle brings all-out police response
Poll: Christmas loneliest time for singles
Hitchhiking frogs possible disease threat
Invasive species threaten Great Lakes
fark
Turns out old people can get along with Latin people
Unknown number of hogs become instabacon in farm fire. Accidental BBQ trifecta complete
Cat chewing is draining Yemen's water supply
ACLU cancels Christmas, kids devastated
Today's "Mugshot Roundup"? Watta buncha maroons
Man uses cows to defraud banks. Cops heard about it, had a beef with him and branded him a criminal....