Shooting at Fedex in Kennesaw this morning
- Thread starter LisaC
- Start date
deewee
Pursuit Driver
mei lan said:deewee said:I messed up my post. Please forgive.
No.
However, we are continuing to pray for the Sparkmans. I should think they won't have to worry about the medical bills, btw.
)I hope not. That was not his regular shift. He chose to work that shift to make a little extra money for him & his wife.
He has improved slightly today. Praying he continues to be stable for the first of the reconstructive surgeries (he will need a few) tomorrow.
The family has chosen to make our pastor their spokesman for now, as they do not want to deal with the media. So, if y'all see Pastor Richard on the news, just know he is the most wonderful pastor I've ever known and truly loves his flock. He & his wife are precious people.
Thank you much MeiLan! :love
Mrs. Jack Russell
Stunt Driver
I just wanted to pop in here and give some info and updates on Twinsister's son. Eric was the other security guard in the room where Chris was shot.
He came to our house the evening after the shooting to talk to my husband, his Uncle. I hugged and hugged him over and over. By the Grace of God we are not the ones sitting in the hospital waiting on him to recover. He told us what happened. It's his story to tell, not mine. I just wanted to explain some things and clear up a few things that I saw on the news. Of course my nephew was in shock when we talked to him. He has been given the chance to see the video, but he has not wanted to see it yet. The unreal part is that E has guns. He carries a gun a lot. He had a gun in his car in the parking lot, but because FedX is a "Gun Free Zone" and he didn't want to break the policy, his gun always remained in his car.
First of all my nephew Eric (we call him E) is in the Army Reserve. So was his co-worker, Chris. E took this job because he needed a job. He knew it wasn't an armed position. Did he like the fact that it was an unarmed position? No. He has been actively searching for a position where he would be armed before this happened. I think that because both of these young men were in the military was a plus for Allied Barton because of the training they had in the military. The only difference is that most of the training in the military, they have a gun.
FedX hires their Security Guards through Allied Barton. E works for AB not FedX. E's position at the FedX building is one of mostly to insure there is no employee theft. The job he was working that day was what they call the guard shack. Employees enter and leave from this area. They go thur a metal detector and are "wanded" to ensure they are not taking in anything they are not supposed to and they are screened the same way going out to ensure they are not taking out anything they are supposed to. Employees know what they can and can not wear to come to work. Example I think the only jewelry they can wear is their wedding ring. This is so that they do not see a box labeled Tiffany's and open it and wear out a ring that should have been shipped to someone.
Another area they secure is the truck entrance and exit. They have to check the truck number etc to make sure the right truck is taking the right load etc.
E went to a week long training session. The only training he got for a situation like this was basically call 911. So IMHO only being a Security Guard at FedX was only to aid in preventing employee theft and not so much in employee safety. This is my opinion only!
E said that there were several chances that Chris would not have been in the position to be shot. Hours before the shooting they were bored. Eric told Chris that if he wanted to go and see if someone from the truck entrance wanted to swap with him he could. So Chris went to the truck entrance, but the guards there didn't want to swap so Chris came back to the guard shack. Minutes before the shooting Chris went to the bathroom. E took over his spot while he was in there. When Chris returned they swapped back. It was almost shift change. E told Chris when our relief gets here, you can leave first. Chris said No you can leave first. News reports said their relieve just got there. This is not true. They were waiting on their relief to get there so they could leave. I only tell you these things just to say by the Grace of God we are not at the hospital with E.
The room of the shooting is very small. Chris was nearest the door, but to the side. E was facing the door but further away. E said that he saw the guy walking up to the door and before he could form the thought "Has he got a gun?", the guy was in the room turned the gun on Chris and shot. It happened that fast.
E rode to the hospital with Chris and stayed with his family until he was out of the first surgery. That evening he came to our house and played the guessing game....you know what he could have, should have, would have done over and over and over again. There was simply no time for him to have done anything. And then let's add he didn't have a gun! He left our house and went to a friend of his who had been to Iraq and had a good talk with him.
The next day he went to visit his son and then went back to the hospital. He has visiting the hospital almost every day. Chris' family has kind of taken him in as part of their family. I told E that he and Chris will be bonded for life because of this. I also told E that he is several days ahead of Chris in healing mentally from this and that he needs to be there for Chris and Chris for him.
Yesterday E met with representatives from Allied Barton and FedX to discuss the incident. He hoped that this meeting would go good and they somehow he could make a difference. I was afraid that the meeting was just something that the higher ups had to do to check it off their check list and then go on to business as usual. E's concerns were most importantly how they need to be armed. Secondly that they need a way to communicate to the other guards. They have no radios. The guards at the truck entrance didn't even know something happened until the police started showing up. CRAZY!!!!! He felt optimistic after the meeting. I hope there are changes made.
E was at the hospital visiting Chris and his family when a grief counselor came in and invited them all to come to a meeting. E said the words that this man had to say meant a great deal to him, but the most important thing was that also brought along a man who survived the shooting from Penski. The words this man had to say has really helped E.
E is on drill this weekend for the Army Reserve and he goes back to work as an unarmed security guard at FedX on Monday night. He has returned to the building once without any issues. Can I ask that you pray for E, especially for Monday night? E seems to be doing really well. He wants his co-worker to get well soon. He will continue to search for a job where if he is a security guard, he will be armed. We will not hover over E, but we will continue to be part of his mental healing. I can't imagine how he feels. That is the number one thing he talked about is how people say "I know how you feel." He says "Unless you were there and saw your buddy get shot, you don't know how I feel." So E's journey to healing continues. Pray for Chris's recovery and my nephew E. Thanks.
He came to our house the evening after the shooting to talk to my husband, his Uncle. I hugged and hugged him over and over. By the Grace of God we are not the ones sitting in the hospital waiting on him to recover. He told us what happened. It's his story to tell, not mine. I just wanted to explain some things and clear up a few things that I saw on the news. Of course my nephew was in shock when we talked to him. He has been given the chance to see the video, but he has not wanted to see it yet. The unreal part is that E has guns. He carries a gun a lot. He had a gun in his car in the parking lot, but because FedX is a "Gun Free Zone" and he didn't want to break the policy, his gun always remained in his car.
First of all my nephew Eric (we call him E) is in the Army Reserve. So was his co-worker, Chris. E took this job because he needed a job. He knew it wasn't an armed position. Did he like the fact that it was an unarmed position? No. He has been actively searching for a position where he would be armed before this happened. I think that because both of these young men were in the military was a plus for Allied Barton because of the training they had in the military. The only difference is that most of the training in the military, they have a gun.
FedX hires their Security Guards through Allied Barton. E works for AB not FedX. E's position at the FedX building is one of mostly to insure there is no employee theft. The job he was working that day was what they call the guard shack. Employees enter and leave from this area. They go thur a metal detector and are "wanded" to ensure they are not taking in anything they are not supposed to and they are screened the same way going out to ensure they are not taking out anything they are supposed to. Employees know what they can and can not wear to come to work. Example I think the only jewelry they can wear is their wedding ring. This is so that they do not see a box labeled Tiffany's and open it and wear out a ring that should have been shipped to someone.
Another area they secure is the truck entrance and exit. They have to check the truck number etc to make sure the right truck is taking the right load etc.
E went to a week long training session. The only training he got for a situation like this was basically call 911. So IMHO only being a Security Guard at FedX was only to aid in preventing employee theft and not so much in employee safety. This is my opinion only!
E said that there were several chances that Chris would not have been in the position to be shot. Hours before the shooting they were bored. Eric told Chris that if he wanted to go and see if someone from the truck entrance wanted to swap with him he could. So Chris went to the truck entrance, but the guards there didn't want to swap so Chris came back to the guard shack. Minutes before the shooting Chris went to the bathroom. E took over his spot while he was in there. When Chris returned they swapped back. It was almost shift change. E told Chris when our relief gets here, you can leave first. Chris said No you can leave first. News reports said their relieve just got there. This is not true. They were waiting on their relief to get there so they could leave. I only tell you these things just to say by the Grace of God we are not at the hospital with E.
The room of the shooting is very small. Chris was nearest the door, but to the side. E was facing the door but further away. E said that he saw the guy walking up to the door and before he could form the thought "Has he got a gun?", the guy was in the room turned the gun on Chris and shot. It happened that fast.
E rode to the hospital with Chris and stayed with his family until he was out of the first surgery. That evening he came to our house and played the guessing game....you know what he could have, should have, would have done over and over and over again. There was simply no time for him to have done anything. And then let's add he didn't have a gun! He left our house and went to a friend of his who had been to Iraq and had a good talk with him.
The next day he went to visit his son and then went back to the hospital. He has visiting the hospital almost every day. Chris' family has kind of taken him in as part of their family. I told E that he and Chris will be bonded for life because of this. I also told E that he is several days ahead of Chris in healing mentally from this and that he needs to be there for Chris and Chris for him.
Yesterday E met with representatives from Allied Barton and FedX to discuss the incident. He hoped that this meeting would go good and they somehow he could make a difference. I was afraid that the meeting was just something that the higher ups had to do to check it off their check list and then go on to business as usual. E's concerns were most importantly how they need to be armed. Secondly that they need a way to communicate to the other guards. They have no radios. The guards at the truck entrance didn't even know something happened until the police started showing up. CRAZY!!!!! He felt optimistic after the meeting. I hope there are changes made.
E was at the hospital visiting Chris and his family when a grief counselor came in and invited them all to come to a meeting. E said the words that this man had to say meant a great deal to him, but the most important thing was that also brought along a man who survived the shooting from Penski. The words this man had to say has really helped E.
E is on drill this weekend for the Army Reserve and he goes back to work as an unarmed security guard at FedX on Monday night. He has returned to the building once without any issues. Can I ask that you pray for E, especially for Monday night? E seems to be doing really well. He wants his co-worker to get well soon. He will continue to search for a job where if he is a security guard, he will be armed. We will not hover over E, but we will continue to be part of his mental healing. I can't imagine how he feels. That is the number one thing he talked about is how people say "I know how you feel." He says "Unless you were there and saw your buddy get shot, you don't know how I feel." So E's journey to healing continues. Pray for Chris's recovery and my nephew E. Thanks.
deewee
Pursuit Driver
Thank you for posting! You answered a lot of the questions I had because Chris hasn't been able to tell the full story yet. I began praying for Eric as soon as that morning, because I know he had to be traumatized, and will continue to pray for him. It sounds like the company is being proactive in helping ALL of the victims (wounded or not, they are victims).Mrs. Jack Russell said:
Winchester
When you need FIREPOWER!
Mrs. Jack Russell said:
As Mr. R will tell you, life can change quickly and leave you wondering WTH just happened and why wasn't it me. Glad to hear E is ok and the rest will heal it's self with time as long as he lets it out.
I also agree with E about the job. Sadly, I do not expect that to change. "Gun Free" zones will continue to get people killed. And a prime reason I've avoided private security in my job search. And another sad fact, he was safer in Iraq then here at home. Hang in there and give this brave young man all the support you can!
Mrs. Jack Russell
Stunt Driver
deewee said:
The one thing I am afraid is going to happen with Chris has already happened to E. The word "hero". E said he (E) was no hero. It happened to fast to do anything. The same is with Chris. I heard someone say on TV that Chris stood between the gunman and the employees which sounds like to he confronted the shooter. Remember I have not seen the video and I am going by just what E told me, but neither one of them had time to react. The part that they are a hero about is working there to try to protect people and having no gun. Had they had more time, I feel things would have been different. Two military man maybe could have taken him down by force, but it scares me more to think about it if they had tried to do that since the shooter had a gun.
My Twinsis, I think is still in shock. She did go to the hospital to pick E up when he was ready to go home. She met Chris's wife and mother. She hugged his mother and they both cried. Debra said I'm happy it wasn't my son and so sad it was yours. His mother said she understood what she was feeling.
And something that both E and Twinsis would probably kill me to say is that when Debra hugged her son. She was shaking and then realized it wasn't so much she was shaking, but E was. He was so upset over the incident and so upset that Chris got shot.
I know that God is already in our future, but I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that both of these young men, especially Chris, needs our prayers. (too many buts in that sentence, sorry). Twinsis, my Mom and I leave for Gatlinburg today. We go to a cabin and do nothing. My sister needs this. Usually I am the one who is the mean one......kinda sharp tounged etc with her. Yesterday she was sort of really critical of everything. She never does that. I think she is going thru a lot thinking too much on how it could have been E. I hope to be in the hot tub tonight talking this out with her. It ticks me off that the actions of one crazy person is so far reaching.
naturegirl
Rolling down the highway
Thank you for sharing MrsJR. E is a great person, with lots of training. I'm glad his uncle is there for him, he's retired LE and saw stuff like this too many times.
I will continue praying for E and twinsis along with you and the entire family. I'm glad you girls are getting away to relax, it will do everyone a lot of good and help with healing.
I will continue praying for E and twinsis along with you and the entire family. I'm glad you girls are getting away to relax, it will do everyone a lot of good and help with healing.
Mrs. Jack Russell
Stunt Driver
Twinsis, my Mama and I have been in Gatlinburg. During that time we didn't have the Atlanta news to watch. The audio tapes of the 911 calls were released. When twinsis heard them it caused her to have a sick headache. When I heard them for the first time, my heart felt hot. My husband said that was a release of adrenaline, All I know is that is was the weirdest feeling I have ever had.
In the tape you can hear E hollering for the employees to get out, get out, get out, and go, go, go. After listening to them a bunch of times. I could hear more of what E said. Chris said "are you okay man". E said "yeah." Someone said "Do you know who it was?" One of them said "Yeah." I then heard E say "you are going to be ok. I got you man. I'm sorry" That broke my heart to hear E say he was sorry that Chris got shot.
E has been to the hospital every other day since the shooting. He has not been able to talk to Chris yet. The reports were yesterday that he is coming out of sedation and his wife got to talk with him. That is a very good thing. I can't wait for E to get to talk to Chris. I know that will start the mental healing of both of these young men.
In the tape you can hear E hollering for the employees to get out, get out, get out, and go, go, go. After listening to them a bunch of times. I could hear more of what E said. Chris said "are you okay man". E said "yeah." Someone said "Do you know who it was?" One of them said "Yeah." I then heard E say "you are going to be ok. I got you man. I'm sorry" That broke my heart to hear E say he was sorry that Chris got shot.
E has been to the hospital every other day since the shooting. He has not been able to talk to Chris yet. The reports were yesterday that he is coming out of sedation and his wife got to talk with him. That is a very good thing. I can't wait for E to get to talk to Chris. I know that will start the mental healing of both of these young men.
He was obviously one sick puppy. I find it interesting that he included Bill Maher on his list of entertainers. I bet you won't hear about that in the media, unlike had he included Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity. I'm sure his parents were well aware of his issues but elected to ignore them in hopes that he eventually "outgrew" them. Most parents I know don't want to admit their kids have issues. Continue prayers for the victims and their families and friends. Thanks for the updates too.
Boss 302
Pursuit Driver
J-man said:
I know quite a few parents whose kids have issues and those parents don't think so. It's like they just want to sweep it under the rug and ignore it. Perhaps they are afraid to admit their kid has issues because they would feel like a failure or something. In the case of the FedEx shooting, if the shooters parents ignored the signs, then they were indeed failures. The guy was obviously suffering from low self-esteem and depression that should have been visible to the parents for some time.
I also thought it interesting Maher was on his list of entertainers.
S
stradial
Guest
I think liking Bill Maher is a warning sign period.
He is one of the people that I think needs to be eliminated from the planet.
While I do not advocate going around shooting people willy nilly, I do think this.
If you must go out and start shooting people, and nothing will stop you, why go out and shoot average ordinary people?
They are just like you, trying to get along the best they can.
If you have to shoot people, why not at least shoot some people that need shooting?
Bill Maher is one of the first that comes to mind.
If you can't travel, then why not get some of these local "preacher" with their massive churches and mansions, you know, these con artists who call themselves preachers.
They are doing more damage than a boat load of ordinary people.
Or, some politicians?
I mean the odds of you killing are good one are waaaaaaaay low.
He is one of the people that I think needs to be eliminated from the planet.
While I do not advocate going around shooting people willy nilly, I do think this.
If you must go out and start shooting people, and nothing will stop you, why go out and shoot average ordinary people?
They are just like you, trying to get along the best they can.
If you have to shoot people, why not at least shoot some people that need shooting?
Bill Maher is one of the first that comes to mind.
If you can't travel, then why not get some of these local "preacher" with their massive churches and mansions, you know, these con artists who call themselves preachers.
They are doing more damage than a boat load of ordinary people.
Or, some politicians?
I mean the odds of you killing are good one are waaaaaaaay low.
Boss 302
Pursuit Driver
stradial said:
I read the kid's notes on the news site SD provided the link for. He did this for the short bit of "fame" he perceived he would receive. He probably understood as well that getting access to a celebrity would be more difficult than shooting up the work place. In one note he said he wanted to kill people. He didn't want to kill just one person, but many people. That opportunity was where he worked. He knew those people and most of them probably didn't want to associate with him outside of work. He most likely felt shunned and ignored by them and that pissed him off.