Atlantis Plastics shooting

Infobox civilian attack
title = Atlantis Plastics shooting


caption =
location = Henderson, Kentucky, United States
coordinates =
date = Wednesday, June 25, 2008
time = Approximately 12:00 a.m.
timezone = CDT
type = Shooting spree, murder-suicide
fatalities = 6 (including the perpetrator)
injuries = 1
perp = Wesley Neal Higdon
weapons = .45-caliber pistol

The Atlantis Plastics shooting was an incident of mass murder that took place at an Atlantis Plastics factory in Henderson, Kentucky, United States on June 25, 2008. The gunman, 25-year-old Wesley Neal Higdon, shot and killed five people and critically injured a sixth person before taking his own life. [cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/25/plant.shooting.ap/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=6 dead in Henderson, Ky., plastics plant shooting|date=2008-06-25] [cite news|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hCQpscfc_M8JtSecCWwa2c9zp7mQD91H5ONG0|publisher=Associated Press|first=Ryan|last=Lenz|title=Police: Plant shooter kills 5 co-workers, then self|date=2008-06-25]

Details

Events prior to the shooting

Henderson police said that the shooter, who had a reputation for being difficult, had argued with supervisor Kevin Taylor and was being escorted out of the factory by the supervisor. The shooter apparently retrieved a handgun, shot the supervisor, then went back into the factory and shot five co-workers before turning the gun on himself. [cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=5242853&page=1|publisher=ABC News|fate=2008-06-25|first=Russell|last=Goldman|title=Six Killed in Factory Shooting, Including Gunman] [cite news|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080625/NEWS01/80625001|publisher="The Courier-Journal"|date=2008-06-25|title=Factory rampage that kills 6 may have been planned|first=Jason|last=Riley] [cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2542255220080625|publisher=Reuters|title=Six dead in Kentucky factory shooting|date=2008-06-25] According to the Associated Press (via FoxNews.com), Higdon told his girlfriend two hours before the shooting that he intended to kill his supervisor. [cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,371242,00.html|publisher=Associated Press/Fox News|date=2008-06-25|title=Gunman Warned Girlfriend Before Killing 5, Himself in Kentucky Factory Rampage] Subsequent reports indicate that Taylor had reprimanded Higdon twice before the shooting, once for talking on his cell phone too much and for not wearing safety glasses, then later for an altercation with co-worker Joshua Hinojosa at a convenience store across the street from the factory.

Details of the shooting

Victims and Higdon were shot with a .45-caliber pistol. Taylor was apparently shot by Higdon outside the factory, then four more workers in the factory's break room, and finally Hinojosa from behind on the factory floor. [cite news|url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/jun/26/rampage-atlanits-plastics-ends-six-dead/|publisher="Henderson Gleaner"|date=2008-06-26|first=Frank|last=Boyett|title=Shooting worst homicide here] Higdon then committed suicide.

Victims

Deceased

* Wesley Neal Higdon, gunman, 25, of Henderson
* Joshua Hinojosa, co-worker, 28, of Sebree
* Trisha Mirelez, co-worker, 25, of Sebree
* Israel Monroy, co-worker, 29, of Henderson
* Kevin G. Taylor, supervisor, 40, of Dixon
* Rachael Vasquez, co-worker, 26, of Sebree

Injured

* Noelia Monroy, co-worker, of Henderson

Comparisons

The shooting is the worst in the history of Henderson County, Kentucky in terms of numbers of victims, surpassing triple homicides in 1799 and 1955. [cite news|url=http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/jun/25/shooting-worst-homicide-here/?gleaner=1/|publisher="Henderson Gleaner"|date=2008-06-26|first=Beth|last=Smith|title=Rampage at Atlantis Plastics ends with six dead]

References