Authorities are identifying the victims of a gunman's rampage at a council meeting in a St. Louis suburb.

Among the dead are two police officers, the city public works director, Kenneth Yost, and council members Michael Lynch and Connie Karr. The gunman, Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, was shot and killed in the attack.

Police say Thornton opened fire at City Hall with a handgun he brought, then used one of the slain officer's pistols to continue his assault. A reporter at the meeting says City Attorney John Hessel tried to fight off the attacker by throwing chairs. The mayor was shot and is in intensive care.

Friends and family say Thornton had a long-standing feud with City Hall and had filed and lost a federal free-speech lawsuit against the city.

Thornton's brother says he left behind a one-line suicide note that read "The truth will come out in the end." Police now have the note.