Gunman Wesley Higdon Kills 5 and Himself in Kentucky Plastic Factory Rampage

[kellyhound]

HENDERSON, Ky. A man who killed five people and himself in a rampage at a western Kentucky plastics plant called his girlfriend two hours before the rampage to warn her that he was going to kill his boss, police said Wednesday.

Police said Wesley N. Higdon, 25, had an argument with his supervisor about wearing safety goggles and using his cell phone while was at his press machine Tuesday.


Later that night, as the supervisor escorted him from the building, Higdon shot him, apparently using a .45-caliber pistol he kept in his car. Then, he charged into a break room and the plant floor and kept shooting before turning the gun himself, police said.

"He just walked in, looked like he meant business, and started shooting at everybody," Henderson Police Sgt. John Nevels said at a news conference.

A man who called 911 frantically described the violent scene to a dispatcher, tallying up the number of dead around him.

"There's more than two people dead. There's like one, two, three, four, five people dead," the man said. "The supervisor is dead, too."

The killings stunned the sleepy Ohio River town of about 28,000 people, where a local leader said many residents know or are related to a worker at the plant. The plant, operated by Atlanta-based Atlantis plastics, employs about 150 people and makes parts for refrigerators and plastic siding for homes.

Henderson County Coroner Bruce Farmer identified the supervisor as Kevin G. Taylor, 30, of Dixon. The slain co-workers were Trisha Mirelez, 25; Rachael Vasquez, 26 and Joshua Hinojosa, 28, all of Sebree; and Israel Monroy, 29, of Henderson. Shooting survivor Noelia Monroy, Israel's sister, was hospitalized in nearby Evansville, Ind.

"Our whole community is in shock," Henderson County Judge-Executive Sandy Watkins said.

Employees at the company were sent home Wednesday, but the company said that it hoped to resume limited operations at night. Atlantis Plastics CEO Bud Philbrook told in an interview that the company was reeling.

"It's just total shock. It's something you read about in the paper," Philbrook said.

Investigators were trying to piece together the timing of the shooting spree. Philbrook said that Higdon didn't appear to have any previously disciplinary problems at the plant.

Nevels said family members told detectives that Higdon kept a .45 caliber pistol in his car almost all the time, which is permissible in Kentucky.

Four of the victims were members of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Sebree, Ky., said the Rev. Jason McClure, who had spent much of the morning with the victims' families.

"They are very upset and hurting deeply and just trying to figure out what to do next," McClure said.

[FireFlyGuts]

Way better post KH, I dumpstered mine.

[FireFlyGuts]

I moved it as well, it will get more exposure here, don't you think?

[kellyhound]

Originally Posted by FireflyGuts

I moved it as well, it will get more exposure here, don't you think?

Probably, this section didn't exist back then.

[FireFlyGuts]

Ya, for some reason I put Mussolini's execution is topic of interests and it floundered, then I moved it here after a month or so and it took off. It's all about the Death Videos baby.

[sepsis_rotten_out]

ahhh would hope to see better of the killings and suicide

[Broadjumper]

These guys who do the whole murder-suicide scene are nothing but fuckin' pussies. Big bad-asses with guns that become whimpering sissies once they figure out they're deep in the shit, so they cap themselves? Gutless wonders.

[reniswoo]

Over safety goggles? Over fucking safety goggles? This guy was obviously spoiled as a child.

[mchchicago78]

white people making this a better world?

[Ugh82]

Originally Posted by mchchicago78

white people making this a better world?

???