At least three people were killed and two others were injured Thursday after a gunman opened fire at a bank's headquarters in downtown Cincinnati, officials said.

The gunman opened fire at the loading dock and lobby area of the Fifth Third Center in the city's Fountain Square around 9:10 a.m., Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said in a news conference.

The gunman, who has not been identified, was killed after he exchanged gunfire with three to four police officers. One person died at the scene.

One person wounded was said to be in serious condition while the other is in critical.

"[The gunman] was actively shooting at innocent victims, it appears, and our officers were able to kill him and stop the threat," Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said.

Cranley noted the building, which is the corporate headquarters of the Fifth Third Bank, also houses popular ice cream, sandwich and pastry shops. He added that the shooting "could have been much, much worse" if not for the immediate police response to end the threat.

Isaac said there is no additional threat in the area and praised officers for their “quick response.” No officers were injured in the incident.

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Authorities were called to the scene in Fountain Square for an "active shooter" situation. Videos and photos taken from witnesses showed multiple patrol cars at the scene. One photo showed a bloodied man being taken away on a stretcher.

A manager at Fifth Third Bank told FOX19 the shooting left employees “a bit rattled.”

"We did hear a gun shooting from the 29th floor. We could quickly see there was a large police presence and could see them blocking Fountain Square. We knew immediately something was wrong. We're a bit rattled," the manager said.

A witness told the news station that he thought there was a movie being filmed until he saw a women with a gunshot wound being taken away.

Another man who witnessed the shooting said: “We heard two pops…and then we saw people running so we just started running around the corner and we kind of just stood there.”

Michael Richardson, who works inside the building, said he saw the gunman inside the building lobby.

“I looked behind me and saw the guy – he shot and then he shot again. After that, I started running. I went around to the north side of the building and sat down,” he told the Cincinnati Enquirer, adding that he witnessed a police officer dragging a woman out of the lobby.

FBI Cincinnati previously said agents responded to the scene and are assisting police with the situation.

Fifth Third Bank issued a statement on the deadly shooting, saying its "thoughts and prayers are with everyone caught up in this terrible event."

"Earlier today, an active shooter entered our headquarters building in downtown Cincinnati. The situation is contained and the shooter is no longer a threat. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone caught up in this terrible event," the company said.

"We continue to work with law enforcement as we ensure the safety of our employees and customers. We are grateful for the support and concerns from our neighbors throughout Cincinnati and the country," the statement continued.

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Ohio Gov. John Kasich called the shooting “senseless” and commended officials’ swift response.

“There was a senseless act of gun violence on the streets of Cincinnati this morning. I’ve spoken with the Mayor and informed him the state will provide any necessary resources to the local police,” Kasich said. “I commend the law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel who swiftly responded to the scene and share my deepest sympathies with the innocent victims of this violent attack.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>CINCINNATI — Police say four people are dead, including the gunman, in a downtown Cincinnati bank shooting.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire early Thursday morning at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. Isaac said the gunman then entered the bank's lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It's unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by officers.

One of the victims also died at the scene.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was "actively shooting innocent victims" and that it was a "horrific" scene.</s>Four people are dead, including the gunman, after a shooting incident at a bank in the US city of Cincinnati.

Police chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building.

He said the gunman then entered the bank’s lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It is unclear if the gunman shot himself or was killed by officers.</s>Police say they responded to an active shooter situation at the Fifth Third Bank building in downtown Cincinnati.

An area is cordoned off with police tape as emergency personnel and police respond to reports of an active shooter situation near Fountain Square, Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, in downtown Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Police say four people are dead, including the gunman, in a downtown Cincinnati bank shooting.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire early Thursday morning at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. Isaac said the gunman then entered the bank’s lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It’s unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by officers.

One of the victims also died at the scene.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was “actively shooting innocent victims” and that it was a “horrific” scene.

He noted the building on the city’s Fountain Square houses popular ice cream, sandwich and pastry shops.

He says it “could have been much, much worse” if not for the immediate police response to end the threat.

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Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>Police say four people are dead, including the gunman, in a downtown Cincinnati bank shooting</s>CINCINNATI (AP) — Police say four people are dead, including the gunman, in a downtown Cincinnati bank shooting.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire early Thursday morning at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. Isaac said the gunman then entered the bank’s lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It’s unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by officers.

One of the victims also died at the scene.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was “actively shooting innocent victims” and that it was a “horrific” scene.

He noted the building on the city’s Fountain Square houses popular ice cream, sandwich and pastry shops.

He says it “could have been much, much worse” if not for the immediate police response to end the threat.</s>The Cincinnati Enquirer has reported that there is an active shooter in Downtown Cincinnati at a Fifth Third Bank location.

“The scene was announced as secure at about 9:15 a.m., but there are multiple victims in the area of 511 Walnut Street. One victim was located at 5th and Walnut streets, according to police. Another victim was located inside the nearby Graeter’s ice cream shop. A witness to the shooting said there were at least three people injured in the shooting.”

Police have now allowed people to exit the Fifth Third building.

Very early reports from Perry Schaible, a local reporter in Cincinnati say that the shooting happened in the lobby & loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. One person was allegedly shot by Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati.

A witness inside the building said they heard 6 to 12 gunshots on two separate occasions and saw at least two victims.

There are suspected to be only one active shooter, now dead after being shot by the police. Cincinnati police chief Eliot Isaac confirmed that there have been four casualties, including the shooter.

A University of Cincinnati Medical Center spokeswoman told CBS affiliate WKRC-TV that four victims had been transported to the hospital. She did not reveal the conditions of the victims.

Later reports revealed that three men and one woman were taken to UC medical, one dead, two critical, one in serious condition.

A witness at the hospital told reporter Tessa DiTirro that only one victim was taken into an operating room.

Reporter Jeff Hirsh of WKRC-TV posted a picture to Twitter of Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley arriving at the scene.

“Something deeply sick is at work here,” said Cranley when speaking to the media. Cranley also praised the work of the Cincinnati Police Department and Fire Department.

“Devastating news in Cincinnati this morning. Thank you to the first responders who are rushing to the scene.”

“There was a senseless act of gun violence on the streets of Cincinnati this morning. I’ve spoken with the Mayor and informed him the state will provide any necessary resources to the local police. I commend the law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel who swiftly responded to the scene and share my deepest sympathies with the innocent victims of this violent attack.”</s>CINCINNATI (AP) — A gunman opened fire Thursday morning in a building in the heart of Cincinnati in an attack that left him and three other people dead, police said.

The shooting sent people scrambling across the city’s Fountain Square amid cries of “shooter!”

It happened at a 30-story building, home to the corporate headquarters for regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp and other businesses, including popular ice cream, pastry and sandwich shops. The bank building was locked down for most of the morning, and surrounding streets and sidewalks were closed off.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire at about 9:10 a.m. EDT at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building. Isaac said the gunman then entered the bank’s lobby where he exchanged gunfire with police. It’s unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by officers.

Michael Richardson, who works in the bank building, told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he was standing outside the entrance when he heard gunshots in the lobby.

“I looked behind me and saw the guy — he shot and then he shot again. After that I started running.”

The gunman wasn’t identified immediately, and police didn’t comment on possible motive.

“So, a very horrific situation,” Isaac said. “We’re in the very early stages (of investigation).”

Federal agents were on the scene as police searched through the building.

One of the victims died at the scene. Two more died at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. UC Health spokeswoman Kelly Martin said one victim remained there in critical condition and another was listed as serious. All four received at the hospital had gunshot wounds, she said.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was “actively shooting innocent victims.” The Fountain Square often hosts concerts, dancing, food trucks and other events around lunchtime or in the evenings and is neighbored by a hotel, restaurants and retail shops.

“It could have been any one of us,” Cranley said.

He praised “the heroism” of police who ended the threat within seconds and the response of other emergency personnel.

“It could have been much, much worse,” Cranley said.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with people running away in fear and confusion while hearing gunshots.

Leonard Cain told The Cincinnati Enquirer he was going inside the bank when someone alerted him there was shooting. He said a woman, who was wearing headphones, didn’t hear the warnings and walked into the bank and was shot.

Fifth Third operates some 1,200 banking centers in 10 states. A spokeswoman said the bank didn’t have a comment immediately.

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 By ANGIE WANG and DAN SEWELL , Associated Press</s>CINCINNATI (WXIX/RNN) - Two people are dead and four others are critically injured after a gunman opened fire at a Fifth Third Bank in downtown Cincinnati. The gunman is also dead, but it’s not clear if he’s part of the initial casualty count.</s>CINCINNATI, Ohio. - Police say four people are dead, including the gunman, in a downtown Cincinnati bank shooting.

Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire early Thursday morning at the loading dock of the Fifth Third Bank building.

Isaac said the gunman then entered the bank's lobby where he exchanged gunfire with the shooter. It's unclear if the gunman shot himself or was shot by officers.

One of the victims died at the scene.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said the gunman was "actively shooting innocent victims" and that it was a "horrific" scene.

Copyright 2018 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A gunman kills three people and injures two others at the Fifth Third Bank headquarters in Cincinnati, United States, before police fatally shoot him.