A gunman killed three people at a factory in Athens, Tenn. on Thursday afternoon, according to reports.
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Police later confirmed the deaths of three individuals – one who is believed to be the shooter who appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The 118-year-old company is a unit of Swiss industrial conglomerate ABB and reported about 1,300 employees in the Memphis area in 2015.
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The lone gunman, who was also an employee, entered the Thomas and Betts factory in Athens at about 4 p.m. and opened fire in the front office area, but didn’t hit anyone at first, according to WBIR. Police arrived to find people “streaming” from all exits, Ziegler said.
The police chief said the shooter was apparently using a semi-automatic pistol, but he didn’t know the caliber or brand.
The names of the dead were not released.
“We can not confirm any information on any of the victims”, Ziegler said. “We have not even gotten the investigators in there”.
“An active shooter incident has occurred at Thomas and Betts in Athens”.
Thomas and Betts manufactures connectors and components for the electrical and communications industries.
There were no injuries, Ziegler said.
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McMinn County sheriff Joe Guy posted a photo on Instagram of the cruiser at the plant, writing “Scene is secure”.
