News Flash

Police recount US beer warehouse shooting rampage

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-05 04:26

WASHINGTON - The man who killed 8 people and himself in a beer warehouse shooting rampage in Manchester, Connecticut had six guns registered to him, and targeted managers who got him to resign, the police said Wednesday as they recounted the event a day before.

Omar Thornton, 34, walked into the premises of Hartford Distributors Inc, the company he worked for, with two 9 mm handguns in his lunchbox Tuesday morning, Manchester Police Lt. Christopher Davis said during a press conference Wednesday, and he left a shotgun in the trunk of his car.

Davis said the guns were all legally owned by Thornton, he had six guns registered to him.

Thornton went into the company for a disciplinary hearing, during which he was confronted with video footage showing him stealing beer, and was asked to resign or be sacked.

During the hearing, Thornton seemed normal. "He wasn't agitated," Davis said. "There was no indication that this gentleman was violent in any way."

However, in the ensuing 45 minutes, Thornton went on a shooting spree that left nine dead, including himself. He fired shots from his handguns, and the shotgun was not believed to have been used.

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After been asked to resign, Thornton asked for a drink of water, and went to a kitchen to retrieve his guns. He walked out and began shooting immediately. The first people shot were managers or executives who made Thornton quit.

Thornton walked and ran through the massive warehouse, firing at co-workers, Davis said. An officer arrived within three minutes of the first 911 call at 7:26 am, and began bringing workers to safety. Within 10 minutes, a five-man team of officers went into the building, entering what Davis described as a "chaotic situation."

At 8:15 am, Thornton was found in a corner office. By the time officers got to him, he had shot himself dead.

Police are determining if surveillance cameras in the building captured all or parts of the rampage, Davis said.