The alleged gunman has been identified by authorities as Carey Hal Dyess, a Yuma resident who opened fire in different locations during a shooting rampage which forced authorities to shut down a local courthouse and several schools.
It is not clear if the shooter, who took his own life after the shootings, was counted among the five dead.
The deadly shootings were confirmed by local police spokesman Clint Norred, who was reported by Yumasun.com as saying that four of the victims were shot in Yuma County, while the fifth was killed in Yuma, the seat of the county about 185 miles southwestern of Phoenix, the state capital.
A victim was injured during the shooting and was airlifted to a Phoenix-area hospital, according to the report. Authorities refused to disclose his conditions.
One of the victims has been identified as a local attorney, while the identity of the others remained unclear.
The first shooting was reported to Yuma County Sheriff`s Office before 9 a.m. local time, as the body of a woman was found in a yard. The second shooting was reported around 9:21 a.m., followed by three shootings in the area. Authorities have been unable to locate the sixth shooting, according to reports.
A local courthouse and several schools were placed under lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, but the lockdown has since been lifted, Xinhua reported.
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Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
