An angry worker killed his bosses at an east Tennessee factory Thursday before turning the gun on himself, police said.
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The shooter has been identified at 45-year-old Ricky Swafford, also of Athens. The shooter was found in a bathroom in the plant, dead of what “appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound” from a semi-automatic pistol, the chief said.
Zotter worked there for 20 years and had just received the supervisor position about a week ago, according to his daughter Amanda Zotter.
The parent company for Thomas & Betts, ABB, is sending a team to help with counseling or other services for the factory employees.
It was after that meeting that investigators say Swafford left the building but then returned and killed his two supervisors.
Officials said Swafford had a concealed weapons permit, reports CBS affiliate WDEF. He then continued into the plant, Ziegler said.
By Thursday evening, Thomas & Betts issued a statement confirming the death of its three employees.
“I kept hearing the word “family” yesterday”, said TBI Representative Susan Niland.
“This is still a fairly small community, and folks know each other”, McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said.
Nearby McMinn County High School was placed on lockdown as a security measure but no threats were made toward the school.
The gunfire erupted shortly after 4 p.m. CDT at Thomas & Betts Corp [TBCI.UL] in Athens, Tennessee, local TV station WTVC reported. “ABB is working closely with the authorities to cooperate and assist on their investigation”.
The company said counselors will be on hand at the plant today. Manager Pat Joyce said the company has an employee policy concerning firearms, but he declined to elaborate. “We employ hardworking, talented, incredible, gifted people”.
Joyce added that the plant will remain closed “until we are ready to resume operations” and that “every employee will be paid during this time of grief”.
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“It’s really hard to believe that something like that happened here in Athens, and especially at a factory that we work at”.
