John Robert Neumann Jr.

John Robert Neumann Jr. was born on May 2, 1972, in New York, United States. Details about his early childhood and education remain limited in public records. According to a statement made by his estranged sister, Neumann experienced emotional abuse during childhood, which she later said contributed to long-standing anger issues. No formal mental health diagnosis was publicly documented.

Neumann enlisted in the United States Army in 1991. During his service, he qualified as a sharpshooter, earning the second-highest rating during weapons training. He was honorably discharged in 1993 after failing to meet military height and weight requirements. Following his discharge, Neumann returned to civilian life and later relocated to Florida.

In the years prior to 2017, Neumann accumulated a minor criminal record consisting primarily of nonviolent offenses, most of them traffic-related. He did not possess a concealed weapons permit and was not known to have any documented history of extremist or terrorist affiliations. Neighbors later described him as quiet and reserved, with limited social interaction.

Neumann was employed for a period at Fiamma Inc., a company that manufactured awnings for recreational vehicles and camper vans in Orlando, Florida. In April 2017, approximately two months before the shooting, he was terminated from his position. According to company representatives and law enforcement, his dismissal followed multiple workplace conflicts and allegations that he had stolen company property and sold it independently. One of the company’s managers later stated that he feared Neumann might return to the workplace after being fired.

Police had previously been called to the factory in May 2014 after Neumann was accused of battery against a coworker. No charges were filed in that incident. In the weeks leading up to June 2017, there were no restraining orders or active criminal cases preventing Neumann from accessing the property.

On the morning of June 5, 2017, at approximately 7:50 a.m., John Robert Neumann Jr. entered the Fiamma Inc. manufacturing facility in Orlando, Florida, through a rear entrance. He was armed with a 9 mm handgun and carried two knives, though the knives were not used during the attack. An employee greeted Neumann as he entered the building, but he did not respond.

Neumann proceeded directly to the front office area, where he shot two employees. He then moved to the break room, where he shot and killed three additional workers. Law enforcement later confirmed that Neumann deliberately targeted specific individuals, shooting each of his five victims in the head. One victim was shot multiple times. During the attack, Neumann pointed his firearm at one female employee but ordered her to leave, sparing her life.

A total of 24 rounds were fired during the shooting. Eight other employees who were present inside the building managed to escape without injury. Approximately a dozen employees were inside the facility at the time of the attack.

The five victims were identified as Robert Snyder, 69, the factory’s lead manager; Brenda Montanez-Crespo, 44; Kevin Clark, 53; Jeffrey Roberts, 57; and Kevin Lawson, 46. Emergency responders arrived quickly as deputies converged on the scene.

As law enforcement closed in, Neumann fatally shot himself. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Toxicology results showed that he was intoxicated at the time of the shooting and his death.

Authorities stated that Neumann acted alone and that the shooting was workplace-related. Orange County officials publicly characterized him as a disgruntled former employee and confirmed that the incident was not connected to terrorism or organized extremist activity.

In the days following the shooting, vigils were held to honor the victims. Family members later disclosed that at least one victim had expressed fear of Neumann prior to the attack. The shooting occurred less than one year after the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, adding to the community’s sense of grief and trauma.