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A former employee of a business located in a downtown Orlando building where a deadly mass shooting took place today is suspected in the attack.
Two people are dead and at least 17 were shot in the incident, which took place about noon today.
The suspect, Jason Rodriguez, 40, is believed to be driving a silver, 2002 Nissan SUV with tag number D11UXR, Orlando Police spokeswoman Sgt. Barbara Jones.
Police think he is armed and still in the area.
Rodriguez was an employee of Reynolds, Smith & Hill, a transportation consulting firm.
Police and Ken Jacobson, a spokesperson for the company in its Florida headquarters in Jacksonville, confirmed the shooting took place in the consulting firm's office. . "We understand the shootings did take place in our office," Jacobson said. "People were shot in our offices."
He said he had limited information but the company Chief Operating Officer David Robertson and Senior Vice President of Transportation Joe Debs left from the Jacksonville offices en route to Orlando early Friday afternoon.
People who have family members who work there can get info about loved ones by going to College Park Baptist Church, 1914 Edgewater Drive, police said.
Bodies were found on the 12th and 8th floor of Legions Place, a 16-floor building north of Colonial Drive. Only the 12th floor has been cleared. The shooter has not been found, said Deputy Chief Mike Droege of the Orlando Fire Department.
"The building is not secure now," he said. "It's still unfolding."
Seven people were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. One person complaining about chest pains was taken to Florida Hospital South.
"They have not found the shooter to my knowledge," Drudge added. "They're still clearing floor by floor."
Steve Olson, spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said one of the DOTs employees, a male, was in the building on official business and was shot.
He is alive and undergoing treatment. Olson would not elaborate on the injury or release the guy's name.
Office workers are still inside. They have barricaded themselves inside and have received little information from authorities on whether it's save to leave. One woman inside the building said they have been told the shooting possibly took place on the fourth or eighth floor.
"We've got everybody in one office, with the door barricaded with a chest of drawers. There are about 20 of us in here. We're scared," said one woman who is inside the building. She asked her name and that of her business not be used because she fears for her life.
"We're watching TV, trying to see what is going on, but we really don't know. We're scared. We're safe right now, but we're scared," she said.
Officers with assault rifles are looking for a suspect with blue shirt and blue jeans. Many have their weapons pointed at the parking garage.
There is a heavy police presence near Lake Ivanhoe and traffic is being diverted.
Orlando police and orange county sheriffs deputies have blocked roads near the Orlando Chamber of Commerce and the Radisson hotel. All of the businesses between Marks Road south to Colonial Drive are evacuated.
A witness has told WFTV that a man who previously worked in the building walked inside and opened fire.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has postponed a trip to see his son out of town and is monitoring the situation from City Hall, spokeswoman Heather Allebaugh said. Dyer is waiting for an update from police, she said.
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