This was obviously a rather disturbed individual. It's really a shame that he didn't get help before this tragedy.
Ct. Gunman wished he could've killed more !!
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The man who went on a shooting rampage at a beer distributor calmly told a 911 operator that it was "a racist place" and that he had taken matters into his own hands to "handle the problem."
Omar Thornton, 34, called 911 after shooting 10 co-workers -- eight fatally -- on Tuesday morning at Hartford Distributors. He introduced himself as "the shooter over in Manchester" and said he was hiding in the building, but would not say where.
"You probably want to know the reason why I shot this place up," he said, his voice steady. "This place is a racist place. They treat me bad over here. They treat all the black employees bad over here, too.
"So I took into my own hands and handled the problem," he said. "I wish I could have got more of the people."
Connecticut State Police released the audio of the 911 call on Thursday, the same day company and union officials rebutted suggestions that the company had ignored Thornton's complaints of racism.
His relatives and girlfriend had suggested his anger was fueled by racial bias in the workplace, but the 911 call confirmed Thornton believed he was avenging racist treatment.
Hartford Distributors president Ross Hollander said there was no record to support claims of "racial insensitivity" made through the internal anti-harassment policy, the union grievance process or state or federal agencies.
"Nonetheless, these ugly allegations have been raised and the company will cooperate with any investigation," Hollander said.
The union said 14 of 69 dock workers, or 20 percent, were racial minorities -- four black, nine Hispanic, one Asian.
The 911 operator attempted to keep Thornton on the phone and to talk him into surrendering. Thornton said he would not give up his location in the building and knew police were looking for him.
"When they find me, that's when everything will be over," he said, assuring the operator he was not going to kill anyone else.
He then said he saw a SWAT team and hastened to get off the phone.
"Tell my people I love them and I gotta go now," he said.
Police found him dead with a gunshot wound to his head.
Omar Thornton, 34, called 911 after shooting 10 co-workers -- eight fatally -- on Tuesday morning at Hartford Distributors. He introduced himself as "the shooter over in Manchester" and said he was hiding in the building, but would not say where.
"You probably want to know the reason why I shot this place up," he said, his voice steady. "This place is a racist place. They treat me bad over here. They treat all the black employees bad over here, too.
"So I took into my own hands and handled the problem," he said. "I wish I could have got more of the people."
Connecticut State Police released the audio of the 911 call on Thursday, the same day company and union officials rebutted suggestions that the company had ignored Thornton's complaints of racism.
His relatives and girlfriend had suggested his anger was fueled by racial bias in the workplace, but the 911 call confirmed Thornton believed he was avenging racist treatment.
Hartford Distributors president Ross Hollander said there was no record to support claims of "racial insensitivity" made through the internal anti-harassment policy, the union grievance process or state or federal agencies.
"Nonetheless, these ugly allegations have been raised and the company will cooperate with any investigation," Hollander said.
The union said 14 of 69 dock workers, or 20 percent, were racial minorities -- four black, nine Hispanic, one Asian.
The 911 operator attempted to keep Thornton on the phone and to talk him into surrendering. Thornton said he would not give up his location in the building and knew police were looking for him.
"When they find me, that's when everything will be over," he said, assuring the operator he was not going to kill anyone else.
He then said he saw a SWAT team and hastened to get off the phone.
"Tell my people I love them and I gotta go now," he said.
Police found him dead with a gunshot wound to his head.
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+1. There are also channels to deal with his complaint, and if they were not open (which sadly I can see as a possibility because I've had a little exposure to how that union BS gets shoveled) there are other avenues that you can explore. Or you can just quit, no point killing people even if they hate you because you are black and make jokes about hanging you or whatever. I am curious as to what the other three black guys say about the race issue though, just to get an idea whether his original complaint had any basis in fact or whether he merely used that to justify avenging his firing for theft in his own mind.
Guy must have been dumb as a rock too- presumably they know your loadout and how many cases of beer get signed for at the other end, how long does any rational person think they can get away with stealing cargo off the truck they themselves are responsible for?
Guy must have been dumb as a rock too- presumably they know your loadout and how many cases of beer get signed for at the other end, how long does any rational person think they can get away with stealing cargo off the truck they themselves are responsible for?
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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