12/29/17: 5 dead 1 wounded in 2 attacks of workplace violence by disgruntled ex-employees
Two former employees returned to their former workplace 1500 miles apart to kill at about the same time yesterday afternoon December 29, 2017.
The carnage in California and Texas left a total of five dead and one person struggling for life. In both cases the gunmen took their own lives after shooting at two others.
CALIFORNIA
The first episode occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m when a former-employee said to be a terminated partner shot two partners at the law firm of Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin, Mendoza and Harrison in Long Beach before turning the gun on himself.
The gunman and one former colleague died at the scene and the second victim is in stable condition at a local hospital. The victims were identified as Senior Managing Partner Major A. Langer, 75, and another senior partner Ronald Beck.
Reports state both senior partners were involved in the former partner's recent termination.
The shooter has been named as John A. Mendoza. Reports also indicate Mendoza instructed all employees except Beck and Langer to leave the building before the shootings began.
Photo credit: Associated Press
The office building where the shooting occurred is described as a "well-to-do" section of Long Beach approximately 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. An investigation into the cause of the shooting is continuing.
TEXAS
Minutes after the incident in Long Beach, another disgruntled ex-employee marched into a Houston BMW automobile repair shop called Bemer Plus and began shooting.
Photo credit: Associated Press
The shootings left a total of three people dead including the gunman. One of the victims was Kendric Wade, a mechanic and 20 year employee of the repair shop.
Law enforcement reported that there were multiple people at the business establishment when shots rang out including employees and customers.
Authorities are in progress of investigating the double murder/suicide.
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The issue of disgruntled ex-employees returning to their former workplaces to engage in deadly workplace violence is a growing concern.
My book "The Killer in the Next Cubicle" which will be published in early 2018 addresses this growing phenomenon of workplace violence perpetrated by former colleagues.
Sources:
http://www.smobserved.com/story/2017/12/29/news/attorney-major-langer-killed-by-former-partner-john-a-mendoza-in-long-beach/3263.html
https://nypost.com/2017/12/30/2-dead-1-injured-in-incident-of-workplace-violence/
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-long-beach-shooting-20171229-story.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-long-beach-shooting-20171229-story.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/3-killed-senseless-workplace-shooting-houston-article-1.3726640
https://nypost.com/2017/12/30/man-returned-to-auto-shop-where-he-worked-shot-two-before-killing-self/