Two shot dead at Texan chicken processing plant

A gunman walked into a Texan chicken processing plant and shot dead a company official before killing himself.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Chris Farris said the incident happened during a meeting between the suspect and management at Sanderson Farms in Bryan, near Houston.

Division manager Kevin P Crook, 36, was killed, and hatchery manager Larry Ryals was wounded.

Lieut Farris said Mr Ryals crawled from the office and alerted other employees, who called the police. The injured man is now in a stable condition in hospital.

The police spokesman said the suspect, Barry Townsend, was a chicken breeder and there was speculation about a financial problem.