Six Dead In Kentucky Plant Rampage

Police: Man Told Girlfriend He Would Kill Superviser And Did; 4 Others Slain Before He Killed Self

(CBS/AP)  An angry employee opened fire at a western Kentucky plastics plant after an argument early Wednesday, fatally shooting a supervisor and four others before committing suicide, police and a company official said.

Twenty-five-year-old Wesley Higdon of Henderson warned his girlfriend two hours before his rampage that he would kill his boss.

Authorities say Higdon had an argument with his supervisor about wearing safety goggles Tuesday night, then called his girlfriend and said he was going to kill him.

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.

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

The rampage began shortly after midnight, when Higdon, a press operator, began arguing with a supervisor and was escorted from the building, company CEO Bud Philbrook told The Associated Press.

As the employee was leaving, he took out a gun, shot the supervisor, then charged back into a break room and shot several employees. Then he returned to the floor and shot another employee before killing himself, Philbrook said. Between 35 and 40 workers were inside the factory at the time.

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

A man who called 911 frantically described the 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."

Officials are trying to determine the nature of the argument the employee had with his supervisor, Philbrook said. "There's certainly no record of untoward activity or performance prior to this situation," he said.

It wasn't clear if the employee was carrying the gun, or if he retrieved it after the argument. Under Kentucky law, business owners are allowed to prohibit people from bringing weapons onto the premises.

"We don't know if the gun was in the car or if he went somewhere to get it," Henderson police Lt. David Piller told CBS affiliate WLKY-TV.

At least one other person was injured, police said. The wounded victim was taken to St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center in Evansville, Ind., spokeswoman Cheryl Dauble said. That person was in critical care, she said, but declined to release further information.

The names of the gunman and the victims were not released. However, Henderson County Coroner Bruce Farmer confirmed the supervisor was among the dead. He said autopsies for all six were planned Wednesday.

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. McClure declined to identify those who were killed, at the request of the Henderson County coroner, but said their families and fellow parishioners were shocked by the shootings.

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

Hours after the shooting, police had set up a roadblock on the street leading to the plant, which is in an industrial area on the southern side of Henderson. Other employees at the plant were sent home.

Atlanta-based Atlantis Plastics has 1,300 employees worldwide, and about 150 in Henderson, where workers make parts for refrigerators and plastic siding for homes.

In a news release on the company's Web site, Atlantis Plastics said it is a leading U.S. manufacturer of three kinds of products: polyethylene stretch films for wrapping pallets of materials, custom films for industrial and packaging uses, and molded plastic pieces used in products such as appliances and recreational vehicles.

The company has annual sales of $110 million, according to business directory Hoovers.

[barbaram99]

I am pissed as a daughter of a Vet that the asre did this. I have told to Dad about this when I talked to him. Just plain SICK to kill another. I pity the people who saw it aand their loved ones. Dear God Allmighty may He take the killt ones home. The fool he saved us the money to lock him up. The fact is the gun belongs locked up in a safe place. A hot head . Get well to the ones in hospital and the dears dead may they get a proper laid to rest.

[patriot12436]

This will bring out the people who want to ban all guns. I don''t understand why they want to ban everyone. Every gun owner i know is responsible and we are the first ones to demand that people who break the law are brought to justice.

[patriot12436]

barbaram99
I am as appalled as you are over crimes like this. I carry and the last thing i want to do is have to shoot anyone. I only prefer to because of crazy people like this. I hope that maybe sometime i can prevent somehing like this happening.

[ybotheratall]

There is a HUGE difference between someone who carries a weapon to protect their family, for job security or as part of their profession and someone who snaps at work and goes home and gets a weapon to come back and obliterate their co-workers. As much as I understand the controversy surrounding guns, I will never understand the inability of people to separate the two types of situations.

Just because you own or carry a weapon does not increase the likelihood that you will use it against someone because you''re going to go insane, snap and blow away everyone around you.

[j_flood]

GWB: So what happened in Kentucky?
Aide: Fellow shot and killed 4 co-workers.
GWB: What happened to the shooter?
Aide: Appears he shot himself to death.
GWB: All''s well that ends well. Next briefing item...

[harpoot]

He must have been sniffing solvents before he went postal.

[harpoot]

He must have been sniffing solvents before he went postal.

[patriot12436]

ybotheratall
Your right. I was involved in one shooting in law enforcement. I was making an arrest and the suspect went for a gun. He left me no choice but to shoot him. One time i had rented a care and taken my family from Las Vegas to Disneyland. When we returned to Vegas aguy pulled up beside us and was cussing and told me to pull over. I told him to go on his way. I pulled into a gas station to buy gas and he turned the corner and also pulled in. As he got out of his car and started towards me i got out, leaned against the hood and told him if he didn''t leave i would kill him. He couldn''t wait to get out of there. I reported it to the car rental place and they said it was a scamm carjackers used and could spot rental cars. They like them because the plates are not specifically assigned to an individual car and will not show up right away on police computers.

[patriot12436]

Ybotheratall
I have killed in war so the last thing i want to do is take another life. I don''t even hunt animals anymore, but as crazy as the world has become i wouldn''t go unarmed. I also obey all laws as far as registration and permits.

[freedomrace]

Guns don''t kill people -- People kill people.

[smurfcrusher]

smcoh326, open your eyes. This administration doesn''t respect our Constitutional rights, for example against unlawful searches and seizure.

Imprisoning US citizens indefinitely without charge doesn''t seem very Constitutionally sound, to me...

[whatithink-2009]

These things were so common during the Reagan era. I guess the GOP has found a way to come FULL CIRCLE.

[slim1h2o]

GWB: So what happened in Kentucky?
Aide: Fellow shot and killed 4 co-workers.
GWB: What happened to the shooter?
Aide: Appears he shot himself to death.
GWB: All''''s well that ends well. Next briefing item...

Posted by j_flood at 06:47 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Not bad satire, but it would look better like this.

GWB: So what happened in Kentucky?
Aide: Fellow shot and killed 4 co-workers.
GWB: What happened to the shooter?
Aide: Appears he shot himself to death.
GWB: Why would he do that for?
Aide: Seems your energy and your domestic policies are causing many people to the brink.
GWB: Brink of what?
Aide: The brink of ruin.
GWB: Let them eat cake.

[ianlou]

America, Land of the Free where the strong prosper and the weak are eaten.

[haoli25]

Guns do a lot more damage - as designed. Posted by Smurfcrusher


Point and shoot only works in Hollywood. Most people, including many gun owners (too many), couldn''t hit a bullet with a barn.
I have watched many people in Concealed Carry Classes and they are okay at 3 yards, but at 7, 15, and 25 yards, most don''t even hit the paper. Throw in some drugs or just adrenalin, and the shooter is more likely to shoot themselves.

[monkfellow]

"These things were so common during the Reagan era. I guess the GOP has found a way to come FULL CIRCLE. " Gee,really? I also did a (possibly incorrect) Wikipedia check and found:Notable postal facility shootings, fo example:Double event in 1993, Montclair, New Jersey in 1995..and as for school shootings:Lindhurst High School shootings:Marysville, California,May 1, 1992 ,Simon''s Rock College of Bard,Great Barrington, Massachusetts, United States, December 14, 1992, East Carter High School shooting Grayson, Kentucky, January 18, 1993
Richland High School shooting ,Lynnville, Tennessee, November 15 ,1995 ,Frontier Junior High shooting Moses Lake, Washington, February 2, 1996, Hetzel Union Building ,State College, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1996 Bethel High School ,Bethel, Alaska, February 19 ,1997 ,Pearl High School Pearl, Mississippi, United States, October 1,1997 Heath High School ,West Paducah, Kentucky, December 1 ,1997 Westside Middle School Jonesboro, Arkansas, March 24,1998 Parker Middle School shooting ,Edinboro, Pennsylvania, April 24, 1998 Thurston High School shooting,Springfield, Oregon,May 21 1998 Columbine High School massacre Littleton, Colorado, United States April 20,1999,Heritage High School, Conyers, Georgia, United States ,May 20 1999, Buell Elementary School, Mount Morris Township, Michigan, United States February 29, 2000. Clinton years....So, let''s get off the libpig obsession with President Bush, and pray for the victims of this latest incident.

[ianlou]

There is no one more dangerous than someone who thinks they have nothing or have lost everything.

The more people who feel this way in America the more this will happen, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

The gun issue discussed here is secondary to this point.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by ianlou at 08:14 AM : Jun 25, 2008

And freedom is just another word that you have nothing else to lose......

Janice Joplin; Me and my Bobby Magee

[hungry1968]

There is no one more dangerous than someone who thinks they have nothing or have lost everything.

The more people who feel this way in America the more this will happen, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

The gun issue discussed here is secondary to this point.

Posted by ianlou at 08:14 AM : Jun 25, 2008





While I agree with your sentiments, nowhere in the story does it say that "being despondent" is the reason for this shooting. It''s unknown what happened between the supervisor and the employee.

I''ve seen several employees that got so mad at supervisors, that they threatened them with violence - a$$ kickings usually. They were fired and left peacefully - end of story.

There''s NO TELLING what happened in this case, from the limited information that''s given.

[haoli25]

There is no one more dangerous than someone who has a gun! Posted by JesusFace



With the possible exception of a religious nut.

[hungry1968]

There is no one more dangerous than someone who has a gun!

Posted by JesusFace at 08:23 AM : Jun 25, 2008





You mean like a police officer, security guard, or a member of the military?

No - a gun is a tool, no better or worse than the person using it. A knife or a hammer could have accomplished the same task for this disturbed person.

[ybotheratall]

Let''''s make weapon ownership mandatory, and issue tactical nukes to everyone. It''''s the only way to be sure.

Posted by Smurfcrusher

I have owned a gun for over 30 years. I took a training course back in the day and I keep it in good condition and I practice. I have safety measures in place and it isn''t even remotely accessible to my children. Since I bought that gun, I have known hatred, rage, disappointment and have been extremely angry. Not ONCE have I ever considered or thought of taking the gun out to "express my feelings". It is there to protect me and my family, nothing more.

Your comments are distorted and fall short of making an effective point.

[ianlou]

While I agree with your sentiments, nowhere in the story does it say that "being despondent" is the reason for this shooting. It''''s unknown what happened between the supervisor and the employee.
Posted by hungry1968

A mentally balanced person does not kill himself or others.

[haoli25]

IDNNSG



How comforting. Just as comforting as when those 4 victims were seconds away from death, a cop was only a few minutes away.
You should start going to the gym, carrying a cop around with you for your own protection can get kind of heavy and tiring.

[lib_crusher]

NOT SO. To be more accurate, you should say, "a gun is a tool designed for murder". As such, it is a "good tool", but ONLY if your purpose is TO KILL. Since it is wrong to kill, it is wrong to get a gun, a tool for killing.

Sick, weak, ineffectual, freightened, incompetent, impotent sissies feel "powerful" when they grasp the cold, hard steel shaft and pretend that the Constitution was talking about them when it said the states must have "well regulated militias" to protect against evil tyrants like King George of England. But all your little peashooters are good for is to murder people. To actually defend against an oppressive government takes intelligence, not bullets, and that you sorely lack.

Posted by IDNNSG at 08:39 AM : Jun 25, 2008

I guess you''ve never had anyone break into your home while you were there. It happens every few minutes in the US. My guns are right where I need...waiting to kill anyone who feels brave enough to set foot on my property, without invitation.

That goes for vacuum cleaner salesmen as well.

[faith_in_w]

lib_crusher, vacuum salesmen are holy corporate people who shouldnt be shot. Always remember a corporations rights trumps those of an individual.

[lib_crusher]

Not ONCE have I ever considered or thought of taking the gun out to "express my feelings". It is there to protect me and my family, nothing more.

Your comments are distorted and fall short of making an effective point.

Posted by YBotherAtAll at 08:30 AM : Jun 25, 2008

I think most people that make statements against guns are afraid they WILL use them on their own kin. Pretty sad actually!

[lib_crusher]

Buy a Rottweiler.

Posted by dragonwagon5 at 08:54 AM : Jun 25, 2008

LOL...because everyone knows Rottweilers have never killed children.

[berniepeders]

IDNNSG:

Actually, a gun is described as "a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is fired at high velocity into a relatively flat trajectory". No reference to "designed for murder". You nuts put that twist into it. And we don''t need protection from tyrants like King George, but from crack-heads and junkies that want to rob us, or from well armed gang-bangers who want to kill us, "just because". Wake up and smell the coffee, you idiot!

[irliberal]

I have owned a gun for over 30 years. I took a training course back in the day and I keep it in good condition and I practice. I have safety measures in place and it isn''''t even remotely accessible to my children. Since I bought that gun, I have known hatred, rage, disappointment and have been extremely angry. Not ONCE have I ever considered or thought of taking the gun out to "express my feelings". It is there to protect me and my family, nothing more.

Your comments are distorted and fall short of making an effective point.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by YBotherAtAll at 08:30 AM

So, because you''re not a person who takes gun and shoots people with it his comments are invalid?

I don''t think so.

There are lots and lots of people who DO take their gun and shoot people with them (illegally).

So his points are QUITE valid. Just because YOU''RE responsible with it doesn''t mean everyone else is.

[lib_crusher]

So, because you''''re not a person who takes gun and shoots people with it his comments are invalid?

I don''''t think so.

There are lots and lots of people who DO take their gun and shoot people with them (illegally).

So his points are QUITE valid. Just because YOU''''RE responsible with it doesn''''t mean everyone else is.

Posted by IRLiberal at 08:56 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Just like the lock on your front door, guns only keep the honest people from breaking in.

The rest of the folks out there shooting people at random are going to have guns...legal or not.

[lib_crusher]

All countries will have nuclear weapons because they can get them illegally.

Posted by IRLiberal at 08:59 AM : Jun 25, 2008

I''ll let you know when I can buy a nuke for personal use.

As for guns, which is what this article is about, I and everyone in my neighborhood own guns. You know how many break-ins there have been in our neighborhood in the past 10 years?

Two, that I know of. And in both cases it was some liberal freak, trying to get into the house and molest kids, who never made it out alive.

[berniepeders]

IRLiberal:
You''re right, guns are not NECESSARY to a functioning, safe society, but we are NOT living in a functioning, safe society. Well, maybe YOU are, but the rest of the country is living in a dangerous, violent place, and having a weapon to defend ones self and home IS necessary. But I imagine you can''t see anything from someone else''s point of view, can you?
Peace

[lib_crusher]

None of mine. I wonder what statistics would prove, if accidental firearm discharge, or dogs kill more kids. hmmmm.

Posted by dragonwagon5 at 09:03 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Well, you''re welcome to come test out your protection theories on my property. We''ll see who walks away from it. hmmmmm.

[jetlizhan]

my son bought me a 9mm handgun for my protection in my home. i know how to use it and will not hesitate to use it - but someone would have to be breaking into my house for me to grab it. i''d never take it my car, job, etc. never.

[berniepeders]

Buy a Rottweiler.

Posted by dragonwagon5

That''s another reason to have a personal firearm and carry it. I''ve been, shall we say, "molested" by large, angry dogs several times, just because I was walking past. If I''d had my 9mm with me, they would be two ex-dogs right now.

Peace

[lib_crusher]

my son bought me a 9mm handgun for my protection in my home. i know how to use it and will not hesitate to use it - but someone would have to be breaking into my house for me to grab it. i''''d never take it my car, job, etc. never.

Posted by jetlizhan at 09:06 AM : Jun 25, 2008

The best is riding on a motorcycle with two holsters strapped to your sides.

[faith_in_w]

Did he leave any messages telling us God told him to do this?

[lib_crusher]

Tell you what, lib_crusher, when you snap and decide to go on a suicidal shooting spree, do us all a favor and do yourself first, OK?

Posted by dragonwagon5 at 09:07 AM : Jun 25, 2008

How many times you gonna tell that g.ay azz joke?

[irliberal]

I''''ll let you know when I can buy a nuke for personal use.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by lib_crusher at 09:03 AM

Merely making a point.

Republicans will attack countries to supposedly keep them from acquiring nuclear weapons and they support that. Bush at this very moment is trying to justify an attack on Iran for that very reason.

However, those same republicans will support guns to private individuals.

It''s different scales, but the same concept. Since both weapons may be obtained illegally why bother trying to keep anyone from any weapon?

Republicans are just a little silly sometimes I guess.

[lib_crusher]

Did he leave any messages telling us God told him to do this?

Posted by faith_in_w at 09:09 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Nah. The note said, "We''re losing in Iraq. Harry Ried is God. And I hate George Bush."

Sounds like a stodgy lib to me.

[mediabrat60]

How come no one goes ballistic every time some one gets stabbed?
There are as many frenzied stabbings as there are shootings in the news but no ne says any thing about banning knives........

[lib_crusher]

However, those same republicans will support guns to private individuals.

Posted by IRLiberal at 09:11 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Nah, you''re just jumping in over your head. You''re making a correlation between two completely separate issues, with s.hit for brains, DailyKok logic. You fail.

Nothing silly about it.

[valentin73]

Call it the case of the "supervisor - provoked argument leading to tragedy"

Sometimes a supervisor DOES NOT make the right decisions.....especially in tight situations.

He (boss man) should have not argued with a sick mind in the first place , there were other measures he could have taken.....

[lib_crusher]

How many times are legal gun owners gonna kill innocent people?

Posted by dragonwagon5 at 09:13 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Sounds kind of paranoid...almost fear-mongerish.

[berniepeders]

IRLiberal:

What you post sounds like you''re merely concerned with "principles", "ideas", "Republican vs Democrat", etc.
What you don''t get is that in the real world, people have guns shoved in their faces every day by complete strangers, and are either robbed or killed just because "they were there". These people arm themselves for protection. You must live a very safe, sheltered existence. You are very lucky.
Peace

[sgtrds-e4]

In just about every area my politics are somewhere to the left of Micheal Moore, except here. I own a shotgun for home defense and see no reason at all why I shouldn''t be able to. The LAPD is a very good police department, but they are undermanned. If someone breaks into my house and/or is threatening my wife I''m going to do what I have to do to defend her before the police can get there.

[usmcvn2]

"Buy a Rottweiler."

I agree, having a Dog works better than motion lights. When they bark, it gives me more time to get
to either pistol. The .357 is two feet from me when I sleep and the .45 is hid in another room.

People around here where I live have all three, dogs, motion lights and pistols.

Keep your powder dry Sportsfans, its going to get worse before it gets better. Don''t matter who we elect in November.

[lib_crusher]

I own a shotgun for home defense and see no reason at all why I shouldn''''t be able to. The LAPD is a very good police department, but they are undermanned. If someone breaks into my house and/or is threatening my wife I''''m going to do what I have to do to defend her before the police can get there.

Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 09:19 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Wow, sgt...just wow!!! Now this surprised the h.ell out of me!

[berniepeders]

Keep your powder dry Sportsfans, its going to get worse before it gets better. Don''''t matter who we elect in November.

Posted by usmcvn2

Bravo, well said.
Peace