Kirwood is a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. MSNBC was reporting that seven people were shot and five are dead, two of them police officers. The latest St. Louis Post-Dispatch story is reporting six dead and that a newspaper reporter was among the injured and the gunman among the dead.
Story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"He came from the back of the room," said Janet McNichols, the correspondent. "He kept something about, ‘Shoot the mayor’ and he just walked around shooting anybody he could."
McNichols said the shooter first fired at Tom Ballman, a police officer at the meeting. She said she looked up to see the officer shot in the head.
Thornton then targeted Public Works Director Kenneth Yost, who was sitting in front of McNichols. He was also hit in the head, she said.
"After that, I was on my stomach under the chairs," she said. "I laid on my stomach waiting to get shot. Oh God, it was a horror."
Among those hit, in addition to Ballman and Yost, were Mayor Mike Swoboda, and council members Michael H.T. Lynch and Connie Karr, McNichols said. Conditions were not known for any of them.
The shooter, Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, had a history of animus against the Kirkwood City Council. He had protested at previous City Council meetings although there didn't seem to be any violent behavior or threats.
I'm sure the family and loved ones of of the victims would appreciate our best thoughts and/or prayers.
Update:
Reuters is reporting that three of the dead were people who were simply attending the Kirkwood City Council meeting.
St Louis Woman has posted here and here that local news has reported that the Kirkwood mayor suffered a head injury. He is in critical condition after surgery. The newspaper reporter was shot in the hand and is in satisfactory condition.
Update 2:
AP is reporting a total of six dead including the gunman. They also have the names of three more victims aside from the mayor.