In Arlington, VA Today: Workplace Domestic Violence Shooting

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than half of female homicide victims are killed in connection to intimate partner violence. Per the CDC, in 10 percent of these cases prior violence erupting shorty before the killing might have provided an opportunity for intervention.

This afternoon in Arlington, law enforcement received multiple 911 calls concerning a possible domestic situation at the offices of the National Waste and Recycling Association. Two people described as a female victim and a male suspect were rushed to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were reported to be in critical but stable condition.

Less than six weeks ago, police were called to the same location following reports of a male suspect and threats to a female employee.

Photo credit: ArlNow.com

Disgruntled domestic partners may confront their current or former partners in the workplace because that is one location where the latter is expected to be for a stretch of time per a routine work schedule. Workplace violence arising from domestic situations are potentially extremely lethal due to the high levels of rage and emotion.

In 2017, another deadly combination of domestic plus workplace plus school violence transpired at a San Bernardino, California elementary school.

Photo credit: KTLA-TV Schoolchildren were evacuated from North Park Elementary School following an April 2017 double murder/attempted murder/suicide in an ESE classroom.

A man fatally shot his estranged wife, a 53 year old school teacher in a special needs classroom and an eight year old student. He also wounded a third child before turning his gun on himself.

Today's bloodshed in Arlington should serve as a reminder that employers must make domestic/workplace violence a part of their violence prevention programs, policies and procedures.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6628a1.htm?s_cid=mm6628a1_w

https://www.arlnow.com/2019/08/28/breaking-two-reported-shot-in-crystal-city/?fbclid=IwAR1eAVCjeSX6Ye0iiuKh1X15TxaDoKWhuSntla9cTHJNv7yJvXIawNiWJjs

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/domestic-violence-shooting-deaths-women-husbands-boyfriends