Shooter opens fire on Tallahassee hot yoga studio, killing two before turning gun on himself

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Gunman opened fire at a hot yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city
Killed two and wounded at least four others before turning the gun on himself
Witnesses said he was tall and bearded, and was acting strangely in the studio
Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum is breaking off campaign trail to return to city

Published: 19:04 EDT, 2 November 2018 | Updated: 23:03 EDT, 2 November 2018

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A gunman has opened fire at a hot yoga studio in Tallahassee, killing two people and wounding at least four others people before turning the gun on himself.

Two people died in addition to the shooter, and at least four people were injured after gunshots rang out at 5.37pm in a small Tallahassee shopping center.

City spokeswoman Alison Faris told news outlets that the suspect fatally shot himself. Another spokesman, Jamie Van Pelt, said the shooting appeared to be a part of a domestic dispute.

A person is seen being transported from scene of a shooting in Tallahassee, Florida on Friday

The shooter killed two people and wounded at least four others before killing himself (the scene is seen above)

Emergency personnel are seen stationed outside the yoga studio after a gunman opened fire

The shooting in Tallahassee on Friday appeared to be a part of a domestic dispute

Video courtesy of Michael Hudak

Witness Alex Redding told the Tallahassee Democrat a woman ran into the bar downstairs, followed by a man with blood on his head.

He said two to three other people sought help in Bar at Betton, and they told him a tall man with a beard was acting strangely in the studio and then began shooting.

The man with blood on his head told Redding he tried to stop the shooter but was pistol-whipped before the gunman killed himself.

State Rep. Kristin Jacobs was also in the bar and witnessed the aftermath of the shooting.

'... a girl ran into the bar,' she said. 'She could hardly talk. She was hyperventilating. I heard her say shooter. Two other women came in, and I kept hearing the word "Shooter".'

Jacobs said of the man who was pistol-whipped: 'Many people are alive because this guy rushed the shooter.'

Megan Nixon told the Tallahassee Democrat she was eating at Riccardo’s Restaurant downstairs when the gunman opened fire.

She said: 'We heard pop, pop, pop. It sounded intense. It didn’t sound like gunshots.'

Melissa Hutchinson said she helped treat a 'profusely' bleeding man who rushed into a bar after the incident. She said three people from the studio ran in, and they were told there was an active shooter.

Matthew Rodin, left and Susan Turner comfort Melissa Hutchinson who rendered aid to some of the victims of a mass shooting

The shooting happened at a small Tallahassee shopping center on Friday afternoon

'It was a shocking moment something happened like this,' Hutchinson said.

The people who came in were injured, including the bleeding man who was pistol-whipped while trying to stop the shooter. They told her the shooter kept coming in and out of the studio. When he loaded his gun, people started pounding the windows of the studio to warn people.

Erskin Wesson, 64, said he was eating dinner with his family at a restaurant below the yoga studio when they heard the gunshots above them.

'We just heard "pow, pow, pow, pow,"' Wesson said. 'It sounded like a limb falling on a tin roof and rolling.'

The restaurant's owner came by a short time later, asking if anyone was a doctor, Wesson said. His step-daughter is an emergency room nurse and helped paramedics for about an hour, he said.

There were 11 people signed up for the 5.30pm class, local media reports.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who is the Democratic nominee for governor, tweeted that he's breaking off the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee.

Tallahassee police chief Michael DeLeo speaks to the press at the scene of a shooting

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum said he's breaking off the campaign trail to return to Tallahassee

He wrote: 'I’m deeply appreciative of law enforcement's quick response to the shooting at the yoga facility in Tallahassee today.

'No act of gun violence is acceptable. I'm in close communication with law enforcement officials and will be returning to Tallahassee tonight.'

City Commissioner Scott Maddox wrote on Facebook: 'In my public service career I have had to be on some bad scenes. This is the worst. Please pray.'

Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, called DeLeo and the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to get details of the shooting.

'I will remain in constant communication with law enforcement. We have offered state assistance,' Scott tweeted.

Police haven’t identified the shooter and are asking for anyone who saw something unusual around the time of the shooting to contact police.

The plaza where the shooting took place is home to popular restaurants, a jewelry store, a framing shop, a hair salon and other businesses.