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Auto shop employee shoots armed stranger who killed, wounded 2 co-workers, police say

An employee shot a man who killed a coworker and injured another at an auto shop in Rockledge, Florida. (Photo: WFTV.com)

ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — A man with a .45-caliber handgun and "multiple magazines" walked to a Rockledge auto shop and shot two employees, killing one, before another employee who was armed shot him, Police Chief Joseph LaSata said.

Robert Bailey, 28, of Cocoa, is accused of shooting the two employees around 4:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Schlenker Automotive in Rockledge, police said.

Police said Bailey shot and killed Roger Smith after the 50-year-old employee of the shop went outside and saw that Bailey had shot one of his co-workers.

That 25-year-old co-worker is at Holmes Regional Medical Center after being paralyzed in the shooting, police said.

Upon hearing the commotion in the parking lot, police said, a manager went outside and confronted Bailey before running back into the shop, with Bailey following behind.

Another employee in the shop, who has a concealed weapons permit, shot Bailey once he came inside, police said.

Police said the manager, Bailey, and the other employee were all shooting inside the business.

"I see people running frantically around the mechanic shop," witness Tim Cofer told Eyewitness News.

Police said they haven’t been able to determine a motive in the case. LaSata said there’s no connection between the gunman and the victims or the shop.

“This appears to be a random act of violence,” he said.

Detectives conducted 7-10 interviews with witnesses and employees, police said.

Bailey is currently in the hospital -- but police said he will be charged with premeditated murder and two counts of attempted murder.