Disgruntled employee attacks workers; exits, reloads, returns

The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that a disgruntled former employee opened fire with a shotgun on defenseless workers at Beltservice Corp. in a St. Louis suburb yesterday. As many as 130 workers milled about as the gunman opened fire, the paper reported

The gunman fired at least five times before going outside to a van to reload. He walked inside to fire again, notes the paper.

After a seven-hour standoff with police, the gunman surrendered without incident Thursday night.

What goes unquestioned in the news reports is why the criminal had so much time to leave, reload, and return. Clearly, it is only because no employees were armed (most likely by company policy) that the criminal had time to exit the building, reload, return and fire again.

"It could have been a massive tragedy," says the writer, "one that has become too familiar after violent incidents at office buildings and schools across the country."

In the end Thursday, only one worker was shot. Jake Lewman, 61, suffered what was called a superficial wound in the upper right hip, authorities said.

"It is remarkable," Beltservice Corp. Chairman Dick Engelsmann told reporters. That more people were not injured or killed "we're very thankful for that. We're lucky, I guess."

One can only hope that this company will learn from its mistakes, and allow employees to exercise their right to self-defense. Counting on "luck" to protect defenseless employees again is a very irresponsible option.

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