Terrorist attack in St. Louis

[one...two...tree 2,762]

ST. LOUIS - A disgruntled worker embroiled in a pension dispute with his company showed up at the plant and opened fire Thursday, killing three people and wounding five before killing himself, authorities said. The shooting spree at ABB Group's plant sent frightened co-workers scrambling into closets and to the snow-covered roof for safety.

Fire officials identified the shooter as 51-year-old Timothy Hendron of Webster Groves, a St. Louis suburb. Police said a man believed to be the gunman was found dead inside the plant from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"We're very confident that this is the shooter," Police Chief Dan Isom said at a news conference.

The shooting began at 6:30 a.m. at the plant where the Swiss-owned company makes electrical transformers. Police spent hours inside the sprawling building searching for the gunman and additional victims.

The motive for the shooting wasn't known, and Isom said it may be weeks before police pieced together why it happened. But in 2006, Hendron and other ABB workers sued the company over retirement losses. The federal lawsuit accused ABB and its pension-review committee of causing their 401(k) accounts to include investment options with "unreasonable and excessive" — and undisclosed — fees and expenses. The suit went to trial Tuesday in Kansas City.

KMOX radio said Hendron was an assembly-line worker who had been employed by the company for 23 years.

3 weapons found

The shooting began during a shift change at the plant, which employs about 270 people. Forty to 50 employees were likely in the building at the time, police Capt. Sam Dotson said.

Two of those killed were found in the parking lot outside the plant, Isom said. One victim and the man believed to be the shooter were found inside, along with three weapons — an assault rifle, a handgun and a shotgun, he said.

It wasn't clear how many shots were fired, but authorities said employees scurried to find refuge from the bullets.

"Many of them sought safety on the roof, in boilers and broom closets," Dotson said.

Names of the victims were not immediately released. Police said two of the injured were in critical condition and two were in fair condition. One was treated at a hospital and released.

The shooting occurred on what was already a chaotic day in St. Louis after 4 inches of snow fell, winds whipped to more than 30 mph and the wind chill dipped below zero.

more...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34746925/ns/us...ime_and_courts/

Edited January 8, 2010 by Galt's gallstones

[mawilson 2,133]

Just because you want to call something "a terrorist attack" doesn't make it so.

terrorist attack (n)

- a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims

Edited January 8, 2010 by mawilson

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Just because you want to call something "a terrorist attack" doesn't make it so.

terrorist attack (n)

- a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims

He was trying to make a statement about the company's handling of his benefits.

[mawilson 2,133]

He was trying to make a statement about the company's handling of his benefits.

Personal vendetta - not a political statement.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Personal vendetta - not a political statement.

Does that make the act less heinous or less terrorizing?

[mawilson 2,133]

Does that make the act less heinous or less terrorizing?

Of course not, but the distinction can be important.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Who cares what ya call it. How about murder? Three people are dead.

[mawilson 2,133]

Who cares what ya call it.

I care. Words are important.

[Kevin and 10]

Terrible, but I have a feeling we are going to be hearing about more of these incidences. People are too dependent on the system and when it fails them they lose it.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Sure, like other countries we could call this a "terrorist attack" and not count it in our crime rates. But that is only useful in countries like UK that have gun control and need a way to justify it by eliminating crime "off the books" by calling them terrorist attacks. In a FREE country, where FREE people are allowed to own firearms, there is no need to "cook the books"

Also we can expect soon that the USA will stop including crime and accidents (including automobile accidents) in our life expectancy calculations. Countries with government health care routinely eliminate these causes of death in order to make their life expectancy look better. Again, presently we have no political need to lie about it, but we soon will.

[Nagishkaw 510]

I care. Words are important.

and talk is cheap....or so they say.

[Peikko 1,575]

Right, clearly you are very familiar with the UK.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Just because you want to call something "a terrorist attack" doesn't make it so.

terrorist attack (n)

- a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims

Way over Steve's head.

[alienlovechild 75]

The motive for the shooting wasn't known, and Isom said it may be weeks before police pieced together why it happened. But in 2006, Hendron and other ABB workers sued the company over retirement losses. The federal lawsuit accused ABB and its pension-review committee of causing their 401(k) accounts to include investment options with "unreasonable and excessive" — and undisclosed — fees and expenses. The suit went to trial Tuesday in Kansas City.

Even MSNBC didn't label this a terrorist incident in spite of your fundementally misleading thread title. It's

"4 shot to death, 5 wounded at St. Louis plant"

It's called a workplace shooting that had nothing to do with a political or religious motive. Did you post the same thing about that guy who shot up a building claiming racism was the reason he didn't get Social Security payout?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Sure, like other countries we could call this a "terrorist attack" and not count it in our crime rates. But that is only useful in countries like UK that have gun control and need a way to justify it by eliminating crime "off the books" by calling them terrorist attacks. In a FREE country, where FREE people are allowed to own firearms, there is no need to "cook the books"

Also we can expect soon that the USA will stop including crime and accidents (including automobile accidents) in our life expectancy calculations. Countries with government health care routinely eliminate these causes of death in order to make their life expectancy look better. Again, presently we have no political need to lie about it, but we soon will.

Clearly someone is missing their daily dosage of Haldol.