Five people were killed and several others injured Friday when a gunman opened fire at Henry Pratt Company in the US state of Illinois, BBC reported.

The gunman was also killed during an exchange of fire with police officers. 

Police named the gunman as Gary Martin, 45, an employee at the company who was reportedly sacked prior to the attack.

Officers declined to speculate on a motive, but the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper is reporting that his family say he was “stressed out” by being made redundant.