Suspected gunman in Texas mass shooting held on $2.2M bond

BRYAN, Texas — A gunman killed one person and wounded at least five others — four of them critically — at a cabinet manufacturer in Bryan, Texas, police said.

The gunman, who is believed to be an employee of the company, Kent Moore Cabinets, fled before police arrived but was later taken into custody, Bryan police said.

Larry Bollin of Grimes County, Texas, has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting on Thursday afternoon, Bryan police said in a tweet.

The 27-year-old was taken into custody by the Texas Department of Public Safety and was booked into the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, according to Bryan police.

The suspect went before a judge Friday afternoon via video conference for his initial court appearance.

Brazos County Precinct 4 Justice Celina Vasquez told Bollin that he was being held on one count of murder and an attempted capital murder charge. His bond amount was set at $2.2 million by Vasquez, $1.2 million bond for the murder charge and $1 million bond for the attempted capital murder charge.

He was not asked to plead to any charges. Bollin requested a court-appointed attorney, Court Clerk Mariela Vasquez told CNN in an email Friday.

Two wounded victims are in critical condition, three are stable

Bryan Police Chief Eric Buske said earlier that the motive for the shooting was unknown. The gunman used a handgun and acted alone, Buske said.

On Friday, Bryan police identified the person killed in the shooting as 40-year-old Timothy Smith.

Two additional victims in critical condition and one in stable condition are being treated at St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan. And one other victim in stable condition is being treated at St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital, according to a statement from St. Joseph Health system.

Juan Rojas Tovar, the Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper who was shot when trying to take the suspect into custody, is also in stable condition at the hospital in Bryan, as CNN has previously reported.

Bryan police received a call around 2:30 p.m. of an active shooter at the facility, and several agencies arrived six minutes later, Buske said. They put out a broadcast on the suspect’s vehicle, and troopers with the Department of Public Safety pursued it.

Inside the business, police found at least one person dead and five people shot and wounded.

Buske had previously said four people were shot but later updated his statement.

Employees on the shooting

Amelia Rodriguez, a Kent Moore Cabinets employee, was painting with a coworker when she heard multiple booms, she told CNN affiliate KBTX.

She said she thought, “Oh, the machine got messed up again,” and began walking toward it to fix it.

“I started walking and someone grabbed me and said, “No, we need to run.'”

Rodriguez said she and her coworkers ran outside but then realized the gunman was outside, so a few of them ran back in, while others stayed by the fence.

“I was hiding like 10 minutes in a real small place,” she said.

She feels lucky to be alive, Rodriguez said.

“I think I’m very lucky and blessed to be talking to you this very moment,” Rodriguez told the reporter. “I’m still in shock because we live in a very peaceful community.”

The company said in a statement to KBTX that it was “devastated” by the shooting.

“We want to thank the many members of our law enforcement teams and other emergency personnel who responded so quickly,” the statement read. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation of this horrible crime.”

Following the shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement the “state will assist in any way needed to help prosecute the suspect.”

“Cecilia and I are praying for the victims and their families and for the law enforcement officer injured while apprehending the suspect,” Abbott said.

This story has been updated with new information from Bryan police on casualties.