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Wesley
Neal HIGDON
The Atlantis Plastics shooting
Classification: Mass murderer
Characteristics: After arguing with his supervisor
Number of victims: 5
Date of murders:
June 25,
2008
Date of birth: 1982
Victims profile: Kevin
G. Taylor, 40 (his supervisor) /
Joshua Hinojosa, 28; Trisha Mirelez,
25; Israel Monroy, 29, and Rachael Vasquez, 26 (co-workers)
Method of murder:
Shooting
(.45-caliber
pistol)
Location: Henderson, Kentucky, USA
Status: Committed suicide by shooting himself the same day
The Atlantis Plastics shooting
was an incident of mass murder that took place at an
Atlantis Plastics factory in Henderson, Kentucky, United
States on June 25, 2008. The gunman, 25-year-old Wesley
Neal Higdon, shot and killed five people and critically
injured a sixth person before taking his own life.
Events prior to the shooting
Henderson police said that the
shooter, who had a reputation for being difficult, had
argued with supervisor Kevin Taylor and was being
escorted out of the factory by the supervisor. The
shooter apparently retrieved a handgun, shot the
supervisor, then went back into the factory and shot
five co-workers before turning the gun on himself.
Subsequent reports indicate that
Taylor had reprimanded Higdon twice before the shooting,
once for talking on his cell phone too much and for not
wearing safety glasses, then later for an altercation
with co-worker Joshua Hinojosa at a convenience store
across the street from the factory.
Details of the shooting
Victims and Higdon were shot with a
.45-caliber pistol. Taylor was apparently shot by Higdon
outside the factory, then four more workers in the
factory's break room, and finally Hinojosa from behind
on the factory floor. Higdon then committed suicide.
Victims
Deceased
Wesley Neal Higdon, gunman, 25, of Henderson
Joshua Hinojosa, co-worker, 28, of Sebree
Trisha Mirelez, co-worker, 25, of Sebree
Israel Monroy, co-worker, 29, of Henderson
Kevin G. Taylor, supervisor, 40, of Dixon
Rachael Vasquez, co-worker, 26, of Sebree
Injured
Noelia Monroy, co-worker, of Henderson
Comparisons
The shooting is the worst in the
history of Henderson County, Kentucky in terms of
numbers of victims, surpassing triple homicides in 1799
and 1955.
Wikipedia.org
Ky. gunman argued
with boss over phone, goggles
By Ryan Lenz, Associated Press Writer
Wed June
25, 2008
HENDERSON, Ky. - A 25-year-old press
operator shot and killed five
co-workers
and himself at a plastics plant in rural western
Kentucky just hours after arguing with his supervisor
about not wearing safety goggles and using his cell
phone while on the assembly line, police said Wednesday.
Authorities said Wesley N.
Higdon of Henderson was so riled by the argument
with his supervisor that he called his
girlfriend and told her that he wanted to kill
his boss. The girlfriend didn't warn anyone,
police said, and just two hours later, Higdon
argued with another
co-worker then shot and killed his
supervisor as they walked outside. Then, he
returned and shot at co-workers in a break room
and on the plant floor.
A man who called 911
frantically described the violent scene to a
dispatcher, tallying up the number of dead
around him.
"There's more than two people
dead. There's like one, two, three, four, five
people dead," the man said. "The supervisor is
dead, too."
Authorities said Higdon was
known to keep a .45-caliber pistol in his car,
which is not illegal in Kentucky.
The first shooting took place
as the supervisor was escorting him from the
building. Other co-workers were shot in the
break room and on the plant floor. One worker
was injured and was being treated in the
critical care unit at St. Mary's Hospital and
Medical Center in Evansville, Ind.
"He just walked in, looked
like he meant business and started shooting at
everybody," Henderson Police Sgt. John Nevels
said at a news conference.
The killings stunned the
Ohio River town of about 28,000 people,
where a local leader said many residents know or
are related to a worker at the plant. The plant,
operated by
Atlanta-based
Atlantis plastics, employs about 160
people and makes parts for refrigerators and
plastic siding for homes.
Henderson County Coroner
Bruce Farmer identified the supervisor as Kevin
G. Taylor, 30, of Dixon. The slain co-workers
were Trisha Mirelez, 25, Rachael Vasquez, 26,
and Joshua Hinojosa, 28, all of Sebree; and
Israel Monroy, 29, of Henderson. The
hospitalized survivor was identified as Monroy's
sister, Noelia Monroy.
"Our whole community is in
shock," Henderson County Judge-Executive Sandy
Watkins said.
The plant sent employees home
Wednesday, but the company said that it hoped to
resume limited operations at night.
Atlantis Plastics CEO Bud Philbrook told
The Associated Press that the company was
reeling.
"It's just total shock. It's
something you read about in the paper,"
Philbrook said.
Investigators were trying to
piece together the timing of the shooting spree.
Philbrook said that Higdon didn't appear to have
any previous disciplinary problems at the plant.
Four of the victims were
members of St. Michael's Catholic Church in
Sebree, Ky., said the Rev. Jason McClure, who
had spent much of the morning with the victims'
families.
"They are very upset and
hurting deeply and just trying to figure out
what to do next," McClure said.
Atlantis Plastics said on its
Web site that it is a leading U.S. manufacturer
of three kinds of products: polyethylene stretch
films for wrapping pallets of materials, custom
films for industrial and packaging uses and
molded plastic pieces used in products such as
appliances and recreational vehicles.
The company has annual sales
of $110 million, according to business directory
Hoovers.
"This is a devastating loss
to this community which we have been a part of
for more than 40 years," Philbrook said in a
statement late Wednesday. "Our thoughts and
prayers are with the victims and their families
and we will work with them to provide our help
and support."
Police say argument with supervisor led to
deadly workplace shooting
By Scott Harvey -
Wave3.com
June
26, 2008
Henderson, KY - Six people are dead and one wounded
after a workplace shooting in Henderson, Ky. It
happened at the Atlantis Plastics Plant early
Wednesday morning. The shooter is among the dead.
WAVE 3's Scott Harvey has more on what
investigators say caused the man to pull the
trigger.
We're told it all started
with an argument between 25-year-old Wesley Neal
Higdon and his supervisor. Investigators say
Higdon even called his girlfriend to tell her
what he was about to do.
It was just after midnight
when the first call came in.
911 Call:
DISPATCHER:
Henderson 911. What's your emergency?
CALLER:
We need, uh, an ambulance please. A guy just
killed himself and killed another employee
at Atlantis Plastics.
But the caller phoned again,
realizing it was much worse.
911 Call:
CALLER:
I called earlier from Atlantis Plastics.
DISPATCHER:
Yes, sir.
CALLER:
There is more than two people dead.
DISPATCHER:
OK.
CALLER:
There's like one, two, three, four, five
people dead.
DISPATCHER:
Is anyone alive?
CALLER:
Supervisor is dead too.
DISPATCHER:
Is anyone alive?
CALLER:
Yeah, there is people alive. One is
breathing.
In all, six people dead.
Among them, 25-year-old Wesley Neal Higdon, the
man police say planned to pull the trigger.
"The suspect in this case, he
called his girlfriend about two hours before the
shooting and advised her that he was going to
kill his boss at the plant," said Henderson
Police Sgt. John Nevels.
Investigators say Higdon had
an argument with his supervisor earlier in the
evening for talking on his cell phone and not
wearing safety classes while on the job. Later
that evening, police say Higdon fought with a
fellow co-worker at a nearby convenience store.
Sgt. Nevels says the security video clearly
shows what Higdon did next, when he returned to
work.
"It's difficult to believe
that somebody can just randomly go in there and
start killing people," said Sgt. Nevels.
"Especially since there is no real reason for
it. So it was difficult to watch, but I mean he
just walked in, looked like he meant business,
and started shooting at everybody.
Police say Higdon first went
looking for his supervisor, 30-year-old Kevin
Taylor, and shot and killed him outside the
building. Next, investigators say Higdon went
inside the plant and shot four more co-workers
in the break room.
Finally, Higdon hunted down
the co-worker he fought with earlier that night,
28-year-old Joshua Hynojosa. He found him on the
plant's floor, where he shot and killed him,
then turned the gun on himself, according to
police.
For this small business,
where plant officials say everyone was like
family, the senseless killings are just sinking
in.
"As a personal note, I hope
none of you ever have to go through something
like this," said plant manager Dean Jorgensen,
breaking into tears. "This is the worst day of
my life."
Witnesses describe chaotic scene at Ky. plant
By Ryan Lenz - Associated
Press
June 26, 2008
It was swift and
chaotic, witnesses said, as the plastics plant
worker with a determined look opened fire,
killing five co-workers then himself in rural
western Kentucky.
Police said Wesley N. Higdon,
25, shot his supervisor outside the plant, then
went inside and kept shooting. When the gunfire
ended, one of Higdon's co-workers was dead, four
others were dying and he had committed suicide.
A witness who hid behind a
wall when the gunfire started said a bullet
struck a water line, spraying water all over the
plant.
"When I heard the gunshots, I
thought it was something electrical," said plant
worker Mark Singery. "When I peeked back out, I
saw (him) lying there dead."
The facility closed for most
of the day but reopened for limited production
Wednesday night, plant manager Dean Jorgensen
said Thursday.
The shooting occurred hours
after an argument between Higdon and his
supervisor over his not wearing safety goggles
and using his cell phone while on the assembly
line, police said. Higdon, 25, of Henderson, was
so riled by the argument that he called his
girlfriend and told her that he wanted to kill
his boss, according to police.
The girlfriend didn't warn
anyone, police said, and just two hours later he
argued with another co-worker at a gas station
near the plant, then returned and shot and
killed his supervisor as they walked outside. He
went back inside and shot at co-workers in a
break room and on the plant floor.
"He just walked in, looked
like he meant business and started shooting at
everybody," Henderson Police Sgt. John Nevels
said at a news conference.
Authorities said Higdon was
known to keep a .45-caliber pistol in his car,
which is not illegal in Kentucky.
Higdon's girlfriend, Teresa
Solano Ventura, said through an interpreter that
she was not aware that Higdon carried a gun in
his car, The Gleaner of Henderson reported. She
also said Higdon had threatened to kill himself,
not his supervisor.
"He said to her that he was
going to kill himself," Abby Valasquez told the
newspaper, translating for her cousin, who does
not speak English well.
Ventura described Higdon,
with whom she has a 7-month-old son, as generous
and "a good person," the newspaper said.
One worker was injured and
was being treated in the critical care unit at
St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center in
Evansville, Ind.
The killings stunned the Ohio
River town of about 28,000 people, where a local
leader said many residents know or are related
to a worker at the plant. The plant, operated by
Atlanta-based Atlantis Plastics, employs about
160 people and makes parts for refrigerators and
plastic siding for homes.
At a prayer service Wednesday
night, residents gathered to mourn the victims,
some weeping softly and carrying roses.
"Our whole community is in
shock," Henderson County Judge-Executive Sandy
Watkins said.
Henderson County Coroner
Bruce Farmer identified the supervisor as Kevin
G. Taylor, 30, of Dixon. The slain co-workers
were Trisha Mirelez, 25, Rachael Vasquez, 26,
and Joshua Hinojosa, 28, all of Sebree; and
Israel Monroy, 29, of Henderson. The
hospitalized survivor was identified as Monroy's
sister, Noelia Monroy.
Noelia Monroy was listed in
good condition on Thursday, hospital spokeswoman
Cheryl Dauble said.
Investigators were trying to
piece together the timing of the shooting spree.
Philbrook said Higdon didn't appear to have any
previous disciplinary problems at the plant.
Four of the victims were
members of St. Michael's Catholic Church in
Sebree, Ky., said the Rev. Jason McClure, who
had spent much of the morning with the victims'
families.
"They are very upset and
hurting deeply and just trying to figure out
what to do next," McClure said.
Ky. plant gunman known as
friend, troublemaker
By
Ryan Lenz - Associated Press
Fri, Jun. 27, 2008
Some in the hometown of a man who opened fire at
a plastics plant described him as a "good kid,"
while others called him a troublemaker and said
Thursday that they weren't surprised when he
killed himself and five others.
Wesley N. Higdon was prone to
retreating inward during long walks around this
rural town about 120 miles west of Louisville,
said Ann Rigdon, 31, of Dixon, who knew Higdon
in high school and called him "weird."
Police said Higdon, 25, shot
his supervisor outside the plant in nearby
Henderson early Wednesday after an argument,
then went inside and shot and killed four others
before turning the gun on himself. A sixth
shooting victim survived.
"He was kind of a loner - and
if he hung out with people, they were nothing
but trouble," Rigdon said.
The shooting occurred hours
after an argument with his supervisor so riled
Higdon that he called his girlfriend late
Tuesday and told her that he wanted to kill his
boss, according to police. The girlfriend didn't
warn anyone, police said, and Higdon returned to
the plant and began shooting.
Teresa Solano Ventura, 20,
said Higdon threatened to kill himself Tuesday
while they were on the phone, but he had made
such threats before and she didn't believe him.
Ventura found out he was dead
early Wednesday morning when she turned on the
news. "I cried," she told reporters outside the
apartment in Henderson, Ky., she shared with
Higdon.
Not all were surprised by the
shootings, including Rhonda Carter, 27, who knew
Higdon from school.
"He was the kind that got in
trouble all the time. He was always mischievous.
He was kind of weird. When they said he was the
shooter, I was not shocked," said Carter, who
works for a cleaning service in Dixon.
Henderson County Coroner
Bruce Farmer identified Higdon's supervisor as
Kevin G. Taylor, 30, of Dixon. The other slain
co-workers were Trisha Mirelez, 25, Rachael
Vasquez, 26, and Joshua Hinojosa, 28, all of
Sebree; and Israel Monroy, 29, of Henderson. The
hospitalized survivor was identified as Monroy's
sister, Noelia Monroy.
She was listed in good
condition Thursday at St. Mary's Hospital and
Medical Center in Evansville, Ind., hospital
spokeswoman Cheryl Dauble said.
The plastics plant was closed
after the shootings, but reopened for limited
production Wednesday night, said plant manager
Dean Jorgensen. A telephone message seeking
further comment at the plant wasn't immediately
returned Thursday.
The families of four of the
victims spent Thursday at Townsend Funeral Home
in Sebree, Ky., preparing for weekend memorial
services and declined interviews, said the Rev.
Jason McClure, several of the victims' pastor.
The killings stunned the Ohio
River town of about 28,000 people, where a local
leader said many residents know or are related
to a worker at the plant. The plant, operated by
Atlanta-based Atlantis Plastics, employs about
160 people and makes parts for refrigerators and
plastic siding for homes.
Police said Higdon was
arrested once for marijuana possession and again
for driving while drunk, but never for anything
violent.
Maxine Duncan knew Higdon as
a boy when he was friends with her grandson and
never imagined him capable of such a horrendous
attack.
"He was a good kid. I never
saw him do a thing," Duncan said. "I never would
have thought of him doing something like that.
