CT - Eight killed, 2 injured in Manchester workplace shooting, 3 Aug 2010

At least three people are dead and at least three others wounded in a workplace shooting in Manchester, Conn., at Hartford Distributors.

Police say that the suspect, an employee of the company, shot himself as authorities approached him. A company executive told the Associated Press that the employee had been called in to resign.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. in a facility of the beer and wine distribution company, one of the state's largest. At the time, there were about 35 or 40 people in the office and warehouse, said Brett Hollander, the director of marketing, whose family founded and owns the company.

Manchester Police Lt. Joe SanAntonio says, "the scene is neutralized and secured" and confirms that there are "multiple victims," but would not elaborate during a press conference following the incident. Authorities have now launched a criminal investigation and a full crisis unit is heading to the scene.

Hollander says the company is "just trying to figure out who's shot, who's not accounted for."

A source said the gunman is believed to have used a rifle.

Snipped from: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/03/dead-wounded-conn-workplace-shooting/

Death count rises

9 Dead 2 Wounded in CT Workplace Shooting

Police sources identified the gunman as Omar S. Thornton, whose body was found inside the warehouse where the shooting took place, Manchester Police Lt. Joe San Antonio said.

The two wounded individuals were transported the Hartford Hospital are expected to survive, police say.

FOX61 in Hartford is reporting that the shooting may have been racially motivated, and that Thornton reportedly told his girlfriend that he had been discriminated against, and that a supervisor did nothing.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. at the Manchester facilities of Hartford Distributors, one of the state's largest beer and wine distribution companies. At the time, there were about 35 or 40 people in the office and warehouse, said Brett Hollander, the director of marketing, whose family founded and owns the company. The Courant reported that Steve Hollander, another member of the family, was one of the wounded.

Thorton was described by John Hollis, a Teamsters Union official, as a recent hire who worked as a driver. Hollis told the Courant that "the union was bringing him in to meet with the company to remedy" a "disciplinary problem."

A high-ranking union official says Thornton was caught on tape stealing beer.

"He started shooting," Hollis told the newspaper, adding that he wasn't sure if the meeting had taken place before the shooting started.

Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy says Omar Thornton had been offered the chance to quit or be fired. Montminy says Thornton was being led away from the meeting when he pulled out a handgun and started shooting.

Brett Hollander said most of the workers were in a building across the street when police entered the warehouse where the gunman was located.

Snipped from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/03/dead-wounded-conn-workplace-shooting/

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those families who's loved ones lost their lives today.
:rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose: :rose:

As a mother this part of the story got to me:

After shooting his co-workers, Thornton called his mother, who tried for 10 minutes to talk him out of killing himself, his uncle Will Holliday told reporters.

That poor woman.