breaking, will update.... up to 15 shot?
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/...
A lone gunman entered a dance class at an LA Fitness in the suburb of Bridgeville tonight holding a large duffel or gym bag, he turned off the lights and started shooting in a roomful of women
The shooter then killed himself.
Update: death toll now at 5 according to this report
http://www.reuters.com/...
Update 4: KDKA claiming five victims plus gunman now dead......
http://kdka.com/
Four people are confirmed dead -- including the gunman -- after a shooting at the LA Fitness gym in Bridgeville, emergency officials told WTAE Channel 4 Action News. Witnesses described seeing people covered in blood in a shooting that may have involved more than one location.
update 2:
excerpt from Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
UPMC Mercy spokeswoman Linda Ross said her facility received five of them -- all women with multiple gunshot wounds who initially were listed in critical condition.
Ashley Ogordowski, 23, of Muse, Washington County, said she was in an exercise class when the man came in and started shooting.
"I was crouched to the side with a girl who was not my friend... shoot... shoot... shoot...'' she said, sobbing.
She said she was told that several people had been wounded, including a friend of hers.
"All I want to do now is find out what happened to my friend."
The scene outside the fitness center was chaotic as dozens of ambulances, police cars and other emergency vehicles converged on the area.
Tony Williams said his daughter, Melinda, 22, told him that she was in the aerobics area "when he came in with a bag and started shooting." He couldn't say what kind of weapon the gunman used.
His daughter, he said, was shot in the knee and fell to the floor. A friend helped her to safety.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/...
note: isn't that interesting....when I posted the excerpt, it automatically added the "Read more" link to the story....
Update 3....some local Twitters chime in... some quoting news outlets that death toll is at 6
http://www.breakingtweets.com/...
Update 5: from KDKA
Ten people are being treated at area hospitals and five people are reportedly in critical condition.
A witness at the center says the shooter reportedly entered the gym through a rear door with a bag.
He then reportedly entered the cardio room, turned out the lights and began to fire.
Mercy Hospital says five female victims are there in critical condition.
Two people have been taking to Allegheny General Hospital. Four victims were taken to St. Clair Hospital.
http://kdka.com/...
Update 6: LA Fitness corporate office statement:
"Each of us in the LA Fitness family are shocked and saddened by the senseless acts of violence that took place at Bridgeville Club in Pittsburgh this evening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and friends. We are working with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation."
Police are planning a press conference shortly at a nearby Bob Evans.
Final update tonight, have to crash for work in the a.m.
NY Times eyewitness reports
One woman, Stacey Falk, 26, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the gunman appeared clean-shaven and short, sporting workout clothes as he entered the aerobics studio where Ms. Falk was exercising with as many as 40 other women. She said he stood in a corner for a brief moment, then put his bag on the floor, shut the lights and began spraying the room with bullets from what appeared to be a short-barrel rifle.
"Girls were just ducking behind each other,” she told the paper. “All I could hear were shots and screams.”
Another woman who was in the gym, Lauren Dooley, 26, told the paper that the gym descended into chaos as soon as the shots rang out. Ms. Dooley was on a treadmill with headphones in her ears but still counted as many as 15 shots.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Thoughts are with the families of the deceased and wounded, let's hope the death toll doesn't rise further...