Death toll spikes to 8, plus shooter, in workplace shooting at Connecticut beer

[Celtic Rose]

A Connecticut truck driver who was in trouble with his bosses opened fire on his co-workers Tuesday, killing at least eight people before shooting himself.

The gunman worked at a family-owned beer and wine wholesaler in Manchester, Conn., where a union official called him a "disciplinary problem."

"The union was bringing him in to meet with the company," Teamsters official John Hollis told the Hartford Courant. "He started shooting."

The Associated Press reported that Omar Thornton, 34, was asked to resign and instead opened fire just before 7:30 a.m.

Hollis would not say why he was being called in, but NBC in Connecticut reported Thornton had been accused of stealing.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/08/03/2010-08-03_death_toll_spikes_to_8_plus_shooter_in_workplace_shooting_at_connecticut_beer_di.html#ixzz0vZJD8oYi

[thundley4]

I'm hearing 9 dead on FNC, according the AP.

[Texacon]

CR, you have an extra 'http://' in your link.

KC

[debk]

I'm hearing 9 dead on FNC, according the AP.

FN.com is now saying one of the wounded is in critical condition, and one is in fair. 

[ColonialMarine0431]

FRom the linked article by CR...

Joanne Hannah, whose 26-year-old daughter Kristi dated Thornton for eight years, said Thornton complained of being harrased at work because he was black. He reported a picture of a noose and a racial epithet in a bathroom, she said.

Oh no. Here we go.

[5412]

FRom the linked article by CR...


Oh no. Here we go.

Hi,

While the do-gooders will go on about gun control, I wonder what the CT laws are.  I can tell you this, in Florida that would likely not happen because a lot of folks would have been shooting back.  The fact that he kept them at bay for an hour is telling to me.  Why do I suspect he had no fear of being blown away by his co-workers?

regards,
5412

[JohnnyReb]

Just saw that he was caught on tape stealing.

[Texacon]

Hi,

While the do-gooders will go on about gun control, I wonder what the CT laws are.  I can tell you this, in Florida that would likely not happen because a lot of folks would have been shooting back.  The fact that he kept them at bay for an hour is telling to me.  Why do I suspect he had no fear of being blown away by his co-workers?

regards,
5412

Interesting .... if they do jump on the gun control band wagon I think it would be equally correct to jump on the union band wagon.

Seriously.  If the union had not insisted he meet with the company then it wouldn't have happened.  If, as posted above, this person is on tape stealing and it had been a non-union shop then they would have been terminated on the spot and there would be no reason for the offender to come back.

All of this is pure speculation of course as I don't know the whole story.

KC

[Chris_]

FRom the linked article by CR...


Oh no. Here we go.

I thought the same thing.

It's so sad that people have to pick up guns when something doesn't go their way.  My thoughts are with the victims and their families.

[Gratiot]

While the do-gooders will go on about gun control, I wonder what the CT laws are.  I can tell you this, in Florida that would likely not happen because a lot of folks would have been shooting back.  The fact that he kept them at bay for an hour is telling to me.  Why do I suspect he had no fear of being blown away by his co-workers?

As a business facility, the warehouse was considered private property.  While I'm not sure about Florida, every other state that I am aware of grants the owner of private property (such as a business) to restrict firearms from their premises, which often even extends to the parking lots if owned by the employer.

Interesting .... if they do jump on the gun control band wagon I think it would be equally correct to jump on the union band wagon.

Seriously.  If the union had not insisted he meet with the company then it wouldn't have happened.  If, as posted above, this person is on tape stealing and it had been a non-union shop then they would have been terminated on the spot and there would be no reason for the offender to come back.

All of this is pure speculation of course as I don't know the whole story.

Both arguments would of course be hideous incidents of the abandonment of civilized reason.  Akin, to the twisted logic that woman who are raped, were raped because they wore provocative clothing. 

[Airwolf]

As a business facility, the warehouse was considered private property.  While I'm not sure about Florida, every other state that I am aware of grants the owner of private property (such as a business) to restrict firearms from their premises, which often even extends to the parking lots if owned by the employer.


Both arguments would of course be hideous incidents of the abandonment of civilized reason.  Akin, to the twisted logic that woman who are raped, were raped because they wore provocative clothing. 

Not quite true. Some states like Oklahoma do not let employers keep you from having a gun secured in your trunk regardless if they own it or not.

[Gratiot]

Not quite true. Some states like Oklahoma do not let employers keep you from having a gun secured in your trunk regardless if they own it or not.

Emphasis on "often", as in

...which often even extends to the parking lots, if owned by the employer.

Which of course is a disturbingly unpleasant matter, as it unfortunately, essentially voids the protection authorized by a CPL/CCW permit to people coming and going to their workplaces.  
 
for Oklahoma

[RightCoast]

Hartford Distributors is about 2 miles from my house.  Awful news to wake up to this morning. 

[Ptarmigan]

Great, another mass murder. Terrible. I am afraid we will see more of them with this recession. I remember strings of them last year. 

[JLO]

Hartford Distributors is about 2 miles from my house.  Awful news to wake up to this morning. 

It really hits home when it's home territory.  Sorry.

A home story in my state is very disturbing also - a father drowned his own baby in a washing machine.   I think he is mentally ill. 

http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=baby+death+star+tribune

I really think a person must have a mental illness when they kill others.  It is just not a natural thing to do.

News cover-up?  What do you think?

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4372854

[Ptarmigan]

Omar Thornton, the scumbag killer is playing the race card. What a moron! 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/03/dead-wounded-conn-workplace-shooting/?test=latestnews

[docstew]

Omar Thornton, the scumbag killer is playing the race card. What a moron! 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/03/dead-wounded-conn-workplace-shooting/?test=latestnews

well, his family is.

[RightCoast]

well, his family is.

 

[ColonialMarine0431]

At least the fool is dead. Good riddance.

[thundley4]

At least the fool is dead. Good riddance.

The family is setting the stage for filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the company.

[ColonialMarine0431]

Revrun Jesse and Al Charlatin in 5,4,3,2....

[NHSparky]

Never gonna happen.  There was NO history of racial bias claims on the part of Mr. Thorton--either to the company or the union--either one of which would have come down on even the most innocuous of claims like a ton of bricks.

Nope--he got caught, he knew he was gonna get shitcanned, he tried to set the stage.  Family is gonna get laughed out of court, assuming it ever gets that far.  There was no paper trail on the race allegations, and frankly, in this day and age, there WOULD have been.  Period.

[thundley4]

Never gonna happen.  There was NO history of racial bias claims on the part of Mr. Thorton--either to the company or the union--either one of which would have come down on even the most innocuous of claims like a ton of bricks.

Nope--he got caught, he knew he was gonna get shitcanned, he tried to set the stage.  Family is gonna get laughed out of court, assuming it ever gets that far.  There was no paper trail on the race allegations, and frankly, in this day and age, there WOULD have been.  Period.

Even one of the union bigwig reps referred to him as just a disgruntled employee, so I think you're right. That doesn't mean the family won't try though.

[NHSparky]

Even one of the union bigwig reps referred to him as just a disgruntled employee, so I think you're right. That doesn't mean the family won't try though.

Well, it's like our former troll/DUmmie/lawyer admitted--even ambulance chasers won't take a case if they don't have a VERY good chance of winning, so there goes that option.  Granted, they COULD pay someone who tells them what they want to hear at $250/hour, but the best they MIGHT get out of that would be a settlement which wouldn't even cover legal fees and court costs.

Sure--they can TRY.  And I can TRY to hit the powerball Saturday.  Both have about equal chances of happening.

[JohnnyReb]

Well, it's like our former troll/DUmmie/lawyer admitted--even ambulance chasers won't take a case if they don't have a VERY good chance of winning, so there goes that option.  Granted, they COULD pay someone who tells them what they want to hear at $250/hour, but the best they MIGHT get out of that would be a settlement which wouldn't even cover legal fees and court costs.

Sure--they can TRY.  And I can TRY to hit the powerball Saturday.  Both have about equal chances of happening.

True but you should remember that they will be selecting a jury out of a moonbat infested blue state. I doubt they are 12 sane people in the state.