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.
Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Jack Straw: No ban on burkas in Britain (2 min)
China jails quake activist (4 min)
European Parliament approves commission (12 min)
Chemicals vanished in clerical error (13 min)
COL BKB: Purdue 76, Michigan State 64 (15 min)
NBA: Denver 127, Dallas 91 (17 min)
2 sisters apparently killed by pesticide (38 min)
fark
Georgia man arrested with $1.6 billion in phony Treasury notes. Authorities became suspicious upon...
If you're 62 years old, you shouldn't go sledding. But if you do, don't strap a homemade rocket...
You know how you have to break in to a store because all of the doors are locked? The same rules...
Armed robbery suspect who continually threatened to kill employees described as 'nicely dressed'...
Photoshop this dapper gentleman on a loopy couch
Teacher hits student with clipboard. Student allegedly sustained bodily injury, shock, and injury...