Nov 8, 2009 6:53 pm US/Pacific
Fla. Shooting Suspect's Mother Apologizes
Jason Rodriguez Allegedly Opened Fire At Former Employer's Offices, Killing 1, Injuring 5
ORLANDO (CBS) ―
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Jason Rodriguez leaves the Orlando Police Department building, while he's taken to the jail after being considered suspect in the shooting at the "Legions Place" office building on Nov. 6, 2009, in Orlando, Fla.
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images
The mother of a man accused of going on a shooting spree in an Orlando engineering firm where he once worked has apologized to the families of the dead and injured.
On Friday 40-year-old Jason Rodriguez walked into the firm and starting shooting; one person was killed, five others were injured.
Saturday Rodriguez's mother Anna struggled to find the words to defend her son and apologize for his actions.
"Sorry for the families involved," Ana Rodriguez said. "I'm really very sorry, it is very hurtful."
During a brief court appearance Saturday, Jason Rodriguez said nothing as a judge denied him bail. After the hearing his lawyer described him as a mentally ill man who fell victim to countless problems.
"This guy is a compilation of the front page of the entire year -- unemployment, foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce -- all of the stresses," said the public defender, Bob Wesley. "He has been declining in mental health. There is no logic whatsoever, which points to a mental health case. It looks like a classic case of stress overload."
Wesley said when Rodriguez's marriage went sour he couldn't afford to pay the child support he owed for his 8-year-old son; h was nearly $90,000 behind on bills. Rodriguez eventually took a job at a Subway sandwich shop but struggled to get hours.
Rodriguez's former mother-in-law, America Holloway, said he was a schizophrenic who was constantly paranoid, blaming others for all of his woes and who always thought everyone disliked him.
Otis Beckford, 26, who died in Friday's shooting, was the father of a 7-month-old daughter. , died in Friday's shooting. Beckford's mother told The Palm Beach Post that she had last talked to him Thursday night, firming up the family's Thanksgiving plans.
"Now, he won't be there," said Icilda Cole. "Such a shame! I had two children. Otis and my daughter. I have one left. I never thought something like this would happen to him."
Five others were wounded: Gregory Hornbeck, 39; Ferrell Hickson, 40; Guy Lugenbeel, 62; Edward Severino; 34; and Keyondra Harrison; 27.
All were in stable or good condition at Orlando hospitals and were expected to survive.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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