ORLANDO -- The violence inside Orlando's Gateway Center has touched many lives.
But members of one family paid close attention to what unfolded, the family of Jason Rodriguez' former wife.
Rodriguez' former mother-in-law describes him as a man who could be charming, as long as he was on his medication.
Yet when he refused, he became an angry and often violent man.
Looking ahead, the woman who opened up her home to Rodriguez for five years, doesn't think if he is eventually convicted of any crime he should be put to death for killing Otis Beckford.
"I'm nobody to judge. I only know that he's a … I believe he's.. he has some kind of mental trouble and he needs help. I don't know what happened when he did what he did but I believe he wasn't right at the time. No excuse, I will never excuse something like that, but I wonder if he was sick, did he know what he was doing," said Rodriguez’s former mother-in-law, who wanted to remain anonymous.
Rodriguez' mother-in-law is especially concerned for her grandson, who watched some of Friday's news reports.
She tells News 13 the 8-year-old wants to know why his father “shot all those people.”
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Suspected Shooter Denied Bond
Orlando police said Jason Rodriguez opened fire at his former workplace on Legion Place Friday, killing one man and wounding five other people.
Rodriguez, 40, was denied bond Saturday morning. A judge said he had no choice but to keep Rodriguez behind bars with no bond after word he may be mentally ill.
The state of Florida appointed an attorney for Rodriguez, because he could not afford his own lawyer.
Rodriguez received a mental and physical evaluation after his arrest Friday at his mother’s home. He remains on suicide watch in a solitary jail cell with no furniture, amenities or interaction with other inmates.
“They left me to rot,” he told reporters as police took him into custody Friday afternoon.
Police said Rodriguez later apologized, saying he felt harassed while he was working at the company.
Rodriguez reportedly said he believed he was fired for no reason at all, and that the company was blocking his attempts at collecting unemployment.
He told officers he was upset because he could not provide for his family, saying “I’m just going through a tough time right now. I’m sorry.”
His mother, Ana Rodriguez, apologized publicly Saturday morning to the victims, their families and the community.
Ana Rodriguez also asked the public to please respect her privacy.
The suspect’s appointed public defender, Bob Wesley, said his client is a very mentally ill person.
“It looks like the classic case of stress overdose,” Wesley said. “This is what we’ll examine together as we work through the case.”
Wesley said there was no logic behind Friday’s shootings, but when asked if he thought Rodriguez was the man who did it, he just smirked and said, “Next question.”
Rodriguez has been charged with first-degree murder. More charges could be on the way as Orlando police wrap up their investigation.
About the Shooting Victims
Six people were shot Friday at Reynolds, Smith and Hills Inc., the same company that fired Rodriguez in June 2007.
One victim, Otis Beckford, was killed after being shot twice near a reception’s desk.
Five others were wounded:
- Keyondra Harrison, 27
- Ferrell Hickson, 40
- Gregory Hornbeck, 39
- Guy Lugenbeel, 62
- Edward Severino, 34
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Beckford, 26, was born in Jamaica, and moved to Orlando in search of work after he was laid off from a job in West Palm Beach.
Beckford lived in an apartment near the Mall at Millenia. Co-workers said Beckford, an Auto-CAD technician, was well-respected by everyone.
He left behind a fiancée and a young baby.
As for the surviving victims, one was taken to Florida Hospital. The other four -- one female and three male -- were recovering at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Five of the victims, including Beckford, worked at Reynolds, Smith and Hills, on the eighth floor of the Gateway Center building.
The other victim was a Florida Department of Transportation employee at the office on business. His name was not immediately released, but FDOT said he was a drainage engineer.
The eighth floor of the Gateway Center remains an active investigation scene, with police escorting people to other floors to recover items like cell phones and medication left when the building was evacuated.
The parking garage is also under investigation, meaning anyone going to the Gateway Center must park outside.
Employees Return To Building
Employees were allowed back in the Gateway Building Saturday, one day after the violence.
Police tape still surrounds the building with an active investigation under way on the eighth floor where police say Jason Rodriguez opened fire.
Police escorted people who left important items like cell phones or medication in the building as they escaped.
The parking garage is also part of the crime scene investigation, so people have to park outside.
A History Of Problems?
Rodriguez’s ex-mother-in-law told News 13’s Stephanie Coueignoux he has a long history of psychological problems.
She said Rodriguez told her everyone hated him and was out to get him, and that she feared for her safety after Rodriguez blamed her for his breakup with his wife.
She also said Rodriguez tried to enlist in the Army, but that did not last long, because she said he did not like authority and refused to call anyone “sir.”
About Reynolds, Smith and Hills
Reynolds, Smith and Hills is an infrastructure consulting firm specializing in architectural and engineering projects.
Founded in 1941 and operating in 13 states, the company has done road work projects for NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense.
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