5/17 Frederick, WVA Woman Escorted to Car by Co-Worker Witnesses Shooting

While this case did not occur at work, the proximity must be noted. A man, not yet identified, had gone to his wife's workplace looking for her but her co-workers told him that she was not available. He then left. Fearing for her safety, the woman asked a co-worker to walk her to her car parked nearby. That is when she encountered her husband at the car. As the co-worker stood across the street as the husband and wife talked. It soon became an argument with another witness stating that she shouted, “I don’t want to be with you anymore”. The man grabbed her by the neck as he threatened her with a .38 revolver. An officer walking near by heard the commotion and came over, ordering him to drop the weapon. The assailant shot his wife and fired the gun at the officer. When the officer returned fire, the husband shot and killed himself.

5/18 British Columbia, Stabbing Turns Deadly at Cabinet Making Firm

Gurpal Brar, 27 is charged with murder after he assaulted a co-worker. Both worked at a cabinet-making firm when an argument broke out between the two. The police were called to the business around 1 p.m. The victim was taken to the hospital seriously hurt from a stabbing. The 30 year old victim later died at the hospital.

Harrisburg, VA 5/16 Worker Kills Two, Then Self at Medical Supply Store

Brewer Hoover Jr., 65, an employee of the American HomePatient medical supplies retail store killed two fellow workers early in the morning when store opened. Three other workers managed to escape with out being inured. Hostage negotiators and SWAT officers responded to the shootings after the gunman barricaded himself in the building. After talking for a short time over the telephone, he allegedly claimed that he was being fired. The company denies this statement. when communication stopped, the SWAT team closed in and the gunman then shot himself. The case has been closed, with no motive identified.

5/5/06 Window Rock, NM Social Services Client Makes Bomb Threat

A social services client threatened in the afternoon that he would blow up the office and that he was going to return with a gun, with intentions of using it on the staff. The client’s children are receiving the services of the agency. “He was very upset because he was told to get treatment,” said the director of the agency. Staff notified police but the man left. Authorities are unable to locate him at this time. The worker who received the threat has taken time off after being traumatized by the event.

5/4 Obrien, FL Coworker Shoots Other with Gun from Car

Kenneth James McFatten, 44, allegedly shot and wounded a man in the wrist and shoulder. It was the end of his shift at work when he got in an argument with the victim. McFatten went to his truck, got a .25-caliber handgun, and shot once or twice just to the side of the victim, hitting the ground. The two began to wrestle when the gun went off, striking the victim. According the victim, they had been arguing but that McFatten did not mean to shoot him. McFatten stated that the two were playing.

Scottish Study Finds Hostility has Increased in Small/Medium Businesses

An Insurance agency, Zurich, conducted a study of small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland where they found some disturbing trends.
•More than 35% of have fallen victim to abusive and threatening behavior
•55% have experienced anti-social behaviour from customers, colleagues and the general public
•Two in 10 employees said they had been intimidated at work
•7% experienced actual physical assault
•A third considered the threat of abuse and physical assault to be greater than it was five years ago
Why?
•Three in 10 said they felt the reason for the increase in anti-social behavior was people being less caring, and more impatient and hostile.

5/2 Beacon, NY Corrections Officer Stabs Co-worker/Husband in Face with Pen

David Corso and Joann Corso were a married couple who both worked at the Beacon Correction Facility, a minimum-security prison for women. The fight between the husband and wife began around 8 a.m. and ended when Joann Corso stabbed her husband in the face with a pen, all in front of several inmates who witnessed the incident. The wife was charged and both Corsos have been suspended without pay, pending disciplinary action.

5/2 Redlands, CA Dollar Store Ex-employee Returns to Shoot Manager and Customer

Kenneth Savastano, 44, entered the discount store shortly after its 8 a.m. opening and approached the manager near a back office. As he was wielding a .38-caliber revolver, the manager fled toward the front of the store but was shot through the leg. A by-stander, a 56-year-old woman who was shopping nearby, was also shot in the arm. Another female employee locked herself in a back room to call 911.Savastano then drove away but was soon found and arrested at his apartment complex. A spokesperson said that Savastano worked at the Redlands store for three years before being terminated last week.

5/8 Bossier City, LA Husband Shoots Wife Outside Retirement Home

Rickey Gipson, 50, is accused of shooting Donna Gipson, 38, outside her workplace at a retirement home. The shooting happened about 8 a.m. where the victim worked in the laundry. The two were allegedly arguing in the parking lot when she turned and went back in. He pulled a handgun and shot her in the head.
He was arrested without incident a short time later at his mother's house in Shreveport. Police records indicate that they had been to the couple's house half a dozen times.

4/24 Kansas City, MO Boss Saves Employee from Assault

A 45-year-old woman was near her car in the parking lot of your workplace during the lunch break when she was assaulted. The assailant attached her with a knife with a blade which reportedly was at least 6 inches long. She was stabbed in the torso and suffered serious injuries. As she screamed, the victim's boss stepped in and scared the assailant away. The suspect, who may be the woman's boyfriend, fled the parking lot in his SUV. The man was later taken to a hospital after a possible suicide attempt.

4/19 Brownsville, TX DOT Workers Assaulted by Construction Biz Owner

Ballenger Construction Co. owner Joe Charles Ballenger allegedly assaulted two senior DOT workers, a regional chief inspector and an engineer as they were inspecting a highway construction project. They had just reopened a closed traffic lane when Ballenger approached them, angry about the reopening of the lanes and then reportedly grabbed the engineer by his shirt collar and pushed him down to the ground.

7/30/2004 Reno, NV Man Sentenced for Attempted Murder and Kidnapping from Wal-Mart

Richard William Martin was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years on a second-degree kidnapping charge and 15 years on an attempted murder charge. According to testimony, Martin confronted his estranged wife in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart, where she worked, and began arguing about a relationship she was having with another man. He threw her in the car, the whole time saying to her 'I'm going to kill you' and 'Do you wanna die? He headed east on the interstate at speeds that topped 80 mph before exiting. When he hit the off-ramp's guard rail, "he was going so fast that they went flying in the air, flipped and landed on the other side of eastbound 80," Greco said. "It was only by the grace of God that she wasn't hurt." Martin suffered a head injury and was in a coma for several months. He was arrested in October 2004 after he regained consciousness.

3/13 Victoria, TX Child Protective Services Director Found Dead after Threats at Work

3/13 VICTORIA, Texas
Sally Blackwell, 53, was reported missing after she didn't show up for work. A family member said her stepmother had spoken of threats she'd received as a program director for Child Protective Services and that she was scared for her life. According to a spokesman for the state Department of Family and Protective Services, a March 8 incident involved a couple who came in to the office and asked to speak to Blackwell. "The two people raised their voices and eventually left," he said. "They made some disparaging remarks about Sally, I don't know if it could be actually described as a threat. It did cause the people here in the office to remind all employees about security." Police discovered the her over a barbed wire fence near a county road into a rose hedge. Autopsy results showed that she had been strangled. There are other leads in the case aside from clients.

3/22 Selmer, TN Woman Kills Pastor Husband in Church

Mary Winkler, 32, is charged with shooting her pastor husband Matthew Winkler, 31, to death in the church parsonage. His body was found in the parsonage after he didn't show up for an evening service. Dr. Bruce Levy, the state medical examiner, told CNN's Larry King that the minister was killed by a single shotgun wound to the back, fired from a range of "a couple to a few feet." Mary Winkler was found the next day in Orange Beach, Ala., with the children, who are now with their grandparents. Authorities have declined to disclose a motive.

3/16 Everett, WA Man Triee to Kill Girlfriend at Convenience Store, Kills Self Instead

A man shot at a woman outside an Everett convenience store before turning the gun on himself, just before 11 o'clock when police responded to a reported shooting at the AM-PM Mini Mart. According to a witness, “The woman know the guy. I can see some problems, you know?" Alce said. "The woman tell the guy, 'Don't follow me. If no, I gonna call the police.' And the guy take off and the woman tell me, 'Oh, this guy was following me in Safeway and now in this store. The man left but came back right away. "I see the guy coming back and before he get to the door, he pulled a gun. The intended victim and another employee ran and locked themselves inside the store office. The gunman then went back outside and fired multiple shots into a Mercury Mystique owned by his intended target. The man then reloaded his weapon and re-entered the store. After about an hour and a half of no contact with the suspect, police entered the store to find the gunman had fatally shot himself.

Berryville, VA Woman Has Boyfriend's Brake Lines Cut on Work Vehicle

Deborah Kay Stout, 43, guilty of the first-degree murder of her boyfriend, Frank B. Owens III, and recommended on Thursday that she be sentenced to life in prison. Though he was murdered at home on July 12, 2004, she was also convicted of conspiracy to commit malicious wounding for a June 2004 incident in which the brake lines on Owens’ work vehicle were intentionally cut.

3/29 Ventura County Star, CA Man Commits Suicide at Work

Jack Charles Huston, 52, entered 50's Boy at 709 Cochran St. about 1:55 p.m. Wednesday and barricaded himself inside the building. Huston had a firearm when he entered the business and said he was having personal and financial problems, police said. The owner of the business, who is Huston's brother, and three employees left the building before Huston shot himself. Police entered about 4 p.m. after hearing a gunshot and found Huston alone inside.

3/17 Port Gibson, Miss Man Kills Attorney Years After Losing Job Due to Sex Harrassment

Carl Brandon, 52 is accused of committing a shooting rampage that killed the an attorney and injured a county employee. Brandon, who had been fired as Claiborne County road manager in 1997, is accused of killing board of supervisors' attorney Allen Burrell and wounding county administrative assistant Loretha Porter between about 8 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Brandon then surrendered at the sheriff's department about 8:30 a.m. Apparently, the deadly shooting rampage was the culmination of years of anger and frustration over what the shooter believed to be false accusations of sexual harassment. "I don't know how you can consider me a danger. I was made a criminal through the system … The sexual harassment charges made against me were trumped up, yet the system allowed the board of supervisors to take them and run with them,” Brandon said in court.

3/15 Pismo Beach, CA Man Shoots Customers at Dennys in Random Act of Violence

Lawrence Edward Woods, a 60-year-old heavyset handyman walked into a Denny’s restaurant on a shooting rampage that left him and two others dead. His neighbors state that he suffered from mental problems and two neighbors said two couples moved out because of Woods’ paranoia. Two men died in Woods’ noon shooting spree: Frank Valesquez, 64, and Harold Hatley, 73, both of Grover Beach. Coroner’s investigators said Woods and Hatley died of cranial cerebral trauma caused by a gunshot wound to the head. Valesquez bled to death after suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg that struck his femoral artery.

3/11 Schenectady NY Man Robs Co-Worker who Kept Savings at Work

Police say the alleged shooter was downstairs resident Jason Bronson--who works at Louis Petraccione and Sons Plumbing had allegedly robbed a co-worker David Thompson. After allegedly forcing Thompson at gunpoint from his motel room and to their workplace where Thompson kept his life’s savings in a vault. Bronson forced the victim to give him the money and then fled with an estimated 35,000 dollars in cash. Police later found Bronson at home, smoking crack.

3/10 Jackson, TN Woman Shoots Rest Stop Employee- Motive Unknown

A woman suspected of being involved in the shooting of an Interstate 40 rest stop employee was captured in a home. The incident started with a shooting at about 4 a.m. that left a rest stop employee with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The 46-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was later airlifted to The Regional Medical Center in Memphis. The woman, believed to be in her early to mid-30s, had fled to her home and barricaded herself.

3/10 Asheville, NC Dr Killed by Father of Deceased Patient

John David Beavers, 47, fatally shot Dr. Brian Ling, 50, in his office early in the morning. Beavers had made an appointment to see him and after arriving, the man went with Ling into an examination room, where they remained for an undetermined amount of time. Staff members heard gunshots and they burst into the room," tackling the gunman, taking his weapon and holding him until police arrived. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene. Beavers son, Michael, was a patient of Ling’s and died 6 days earlier. Michael Beavers had a lifelong history of health problems, suffering from kidney failure at 11 and had been getting dialysis treatments for years. He died on March 3, a day after suffering a stroke.

3/9/06 Prince Georges, VA Firefighters Fight Again during Fire

Earlier in the year, we brought you a story about firefighters assaulting others while at a burning house. This time, volunteer firefighters claim they were assaulted at two fires by career firefighters. The Kentland volunteers are now claiming they were confronted by career firefighters at two blazes in Largo on Thursday, presumably in retaliation.

3/7 Tucson, AZ Co-worker Shoots Other While Showing Gun in Parking Lot of Dennys

A Denny's restaurant employee was injured when a co-worker accidentally shot her in the restaurant's parking lot, police said. Brandy Smith, 22, was in the parking lot of the restaurant when her co-worker, Albert E. Morelli, showed her his gun.
According to Smith, Morelli, 34, had already removed the magazine from the gun when it fired, striking her, he said. Morelli offered to take Smith to the hospital, but she declined. Morelli then left the scene.

12/23/05 Asheville, NC Business Man Shot After Stealing Identity Theft of Partner

Perry Murray Wilson, 53, owner of Carolina Consulting Services, was charged with identity theft, months after he was shot four times by a business partner during a meeting. He is accused of moving money from his business partners' credit lines to his own business checking account without their permission. He also faces charges of obtaining property by false pretenses and selling insurance without a license. He was shot by James T. Tedesco, 37, who is charged with first-degree attempted murder during a Dec. 26 meeting.

2004, Oregon Patient Beats Mental Health Staff over Beef Jerky

Todd Van Dorn, 33, recently pleaded guilty in Marion County Circuit Court to a second-degree-assault charge as he admits beating a state hospital worker in 2004. He states that the staff person ignited his rage by throwing out his rule-exceeding supply of jerky. A hospital surveillance camera captured Van Dorn's assault on Valerie Aerni. The stocky patient punched Aerni in the face multiple times, then dished out more blows and kicks after she fell to her knees. Aerni's injuries included a concussion, black eyes and a broken tooth. This case is unique in that most patient-on-staff assaults at mental hospitals do not get investigated or prosecuted.

4/17/99 Singapore Man Kills Girlfriend's Maid; Blames Her for Seduction

Ng Boon Tee, 26, admitted to killing his girlfriend’s Indonesian maid Sumiyati Muniri, 25, at the maid’s workplace, between 10.30pm, and 2.15am the next day. According to the facts of the case, Ng claimed that the maid had seduced him by undressing herself when they were alone in a room in the house. The maid pulled out a knife and asked to be paid for sexual favors while he was undressing himself. He retaliated by smashing her head with a perfume bottle before stabbing her with the knife.

9/9/1998 Springfield Township, MI Woman Shot by Random Act of Violence by Mentally Ill Man

Kelly Rundell, now 43, was found guilty of attempted murder, but mentally ill. Shirley "Gwen" Hunter was working at the New Oakland Family Center when she had stepped outside to smoke a cigarette. Rundell approached Hunter, who held the door for him — thinking he might be a patient coming in for care. Hunter said he "looked right through her," walked passed and stopped. She next heard a loud bang and fell to the ground, feeling an extreme burning inside. Rundell shot her in the back at point-blank range. They had not known each other. When police arrived at his home minutes after the crime, Rundell had already changed his clothes. And he had disassembled and hid the gun. This helped convince the jury that he wasn't insane at the time of the crime, and that he understood right from wrong, according to prosecutors.

Norfolk, UK Study- Public Workers Assaulted 7 Times a Day

An investigation in Norfolk has revealed some startling findings about the safety of frontline public sector staff. Surprisingly, there are 7 assaults a day on workers in this field.
Across the UK, health care staff eight times more likely to be assaulted than police officers. By far the greatest number of attacks were carried out on health workers such as doctors, nurses, mental health specialists, and ambulance drivers, who were assaulted 1,676 times last year.
In response, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership appointed a local security management specialist in October 2004, whose role includes investigating all complaints - not only about attacks on staff but also about damage to Trust property as a result of a violent incident. They also teach staff on how to de-escalate a situation and breakaway safely from physical attacks.

Canadian Murders may Lead to New Labor Regulations

After the murder of a 19-year-old victim was working by himself the government in Manitoba is looking at worker safety legislation. The potential changes would be part of a broader overhaul of the Employment Standards Act. There are already regulation requiring employers to have a plan in place to identify possible risks -- and ways to minimize the risks -- for workers left alone. This law came about after the 1981 murder of 16-year-old doughnut shop waitress Barbara Stoppel. The proposed changes to the new law may include a ban prohibiting under-age employees from working overnight shifts.

4/9/04 Bradenton, FL Trial Starts for Man who Killed Ex-Girlfriend at Work

Emerson Ware, 39, will begin his trial for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Jeannette D. Conwell, 45. is accused of breaking into Conwell's house, threatening her daughter and boyfriend, going to Conwell's workplace and stabbing her to death with a knife he stole from the home.

Florida Guns at Work Bill Fails

A controversial Florida bill, HB 129, that would make it a felony for Florida businesses to bar guns from the workplace was defeated in the state legislature. It was only a couple of weeks ago when a hearing for the proposed legislation was cancelled due to the strong opposition from the business community. Testimony of members of the Florida Retail Federation and Florida Chamber of Commerce presented a solid stance against any compromise. This initiative is a landmark in the NRA’s 50-state campaign to pass guns-at-work legislation. Currently, there are ten guns-at-work bills pending in legislatures across the United States: California, Utah, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and New Hampshire.

Free On-line Courses on Bullying at Work

SkillSoft, a UK based provider of comprehensive e-learning content and technology products for business and IT professionals, is offering 3 web-based training to help workers combat bullying. These three on-line courses are available anytime by visiting http://www.skillsoft.com/bullying, until the end of July 2006. The three courses available are Harassment at Work – addressing the issue of bullying and harassment in the workplace; Working with Aggressive People - details the characteristics of the six most common types of aggressive people and provides effective ways you can cope with their behaviors and Difficult People in the Workplace - shows step-by-step methods and processes to help you identify difficult people and learn how to deal and communicate with them.

1/31 Richland, VA Man Kidnapps Ex-wife with Knife

Thomas Walker Jr., 23, walked into the Rawlinson Road workplace of his estranged girlfriend. She was hiding in a locked bathroom but he forced his way in and took her from the business at knifepoint. He crashed his car a short distance away and she escaped but not before he took $40 from her. He was later apprehended.

LA Sees Violence Against City Employees Soar

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office claim that workplace violence and threats to municipal workers increased 2,000% in the past 5 years. There were four reports of workplace violence in 2001, 26 in 2002, 58 in 2003, 45 in 2004 and 93 in 2005, according to records. There was also an upsurge in the number of restraining orders filed. While there were 41 restraining orders last year, there were just 32 in 2003 and only 12 in 2004. There was some discussion if this was due to more threats and incidents or just better reporting. The office asked for $400,000 to create a full-time Workplace Violence Unit however it is unlikely as there was a projected a $270 million budget shortfall.

2/13 Landover Hills, VA Firefighters Fight over Who Fight Fire

In one of the oddest cases of workplace violence, an all volunteer firefighter department endangered emergency workers from another station by sabotaging equipment while a house burned. Two career firefighters from the Landover Hills station claimed that volunteer firefighters from the Kentland Station deliberately shut off their air tanks and ripped off some of their protective gear, resulting in first and second degree burns. The dispute was over which station should fight the fire. One of the alleged assailants is on operational suspension and an internal investigation is underway.

Federal Court Upholds Oklahoma Company's Right to Ban Firearms at Work

A Denver federal appeals court ruled it was legal for an Oklahoma paper mill to fire 8 employees who violated company policy by having guns in their vehicle on the company parking lot. The workers sued the company for illegal search of their property and wrongful discharge as the policy was in violation of their 2nd amendment right. However, the judge claimed that the company, “did not unlawfully infringe upon any right of plaintiffs in enforcing its no-firearms policy.” The firing occurred in 2002 and prompted state legislators in 2004 to enact a law that makes it much harder for property owners and employers to ban guns from their property.

2/14 Oxford, AL Man Murders Boss, Claiming to be a US Marshall

Fred Allen Walker, 48, killed his boss of over a dozen years in the back office of MotorCycle Sports. Walker came to work for a few minutes Tuesday morning, then went outside and returned with two handguns and went back to Jerry Wayne Harrell's office about 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, Walker walked back into the showroom and made a phone call to the US Marshall’s office in DC. He made claims to the responding medical technicians that he worked for the Marshall’s service and was carrying out an execution. Walker had no relation to the US Marshall’s service nor any other federal agency.

1/26 Beaumont, TX Man Hid in Locker Room before Assaulting Ex-Wife

Anthony Wayne Leblanc, 35, shot his estranged wife, Emma Leblanc and attempted to shoot her coworker where they worked in the janitorial department. He snuck in to the workplace and hid in the worker’s locker room. At around 7 pm, when she started work, he came out and shot at her 4 times, striking her once in the elbow. He is did not strike the co-worker when he shot at him. He fled only to wreck his car during a police chance.

1/30 Santa Barbara, CA Former Postal Worker Kills 6 then Self

Jennifer Sanmarco, 44, killed 5 people at a mail-processing center and then killed herself, using a 9 mm handgun. According to investigators, she was put on disability for behavior problems in 2003. She had at one point been removed by deputies from the facility. She had since moved to New Mexico where she had several incidents with law enforcement due to her erratic behavior such as taking her clothes off in a store.
On the night of the murders, she arrived at the plant and entered the fenced grounds by following closely behind another car to get past the gate. She then entered the facility by taking an employee's electronic identification badge at gunpoint but did not hurt that employee. She killed two employees outside, another just outside the door and critically wounded another just inside. 3 other victims were killed inside before she killed herself. It is thought that she killed a former neighbor before she went on her rampage at the processing center.

1/23 Chandler, AZ Nephew Shoots Co-Worker Uncle at Sign Company

Oscar Valenzuela was charged with the murder of his uncle, Benjamin Marquez-Valenzuela, 29. Both were working on painting signs at the Young Electric Sign Co., when the nephew shot the victim. While there is no declared motive for the shooting, authories believe that it may be personal matter as Oscar had moved out from living with the victim about 3 weeks ago. According to reports, the shooter told other workers that it was his last day and that we was returning to Mexico.

1/23 Clayton, NC Hostage Situation at Catepillar Plant DV Related

Michael Wilson Akins Jr., 22, was a temporary employee at a Caterpillar plant where his girlfriend also worked. After a heated arguement where he alledgedly threatened her, he was brought into a seperate conference room by security and a supervisor. It was then that he pulled a handgun out. The men pushed him out of the room and locked the door but he then took a male nurse hostage. After looking for his girlfriend but not finding her, he took the hostage's car and phone, fleeing the scene. He later crashed during police pursuit. Akins had numerous arrests for firearm related crimes.

1/16 Calgary, Canada Mortgage Executive Murdered in his Office

Jack Beauchamp, 49-year-old father of three and head of a mortgage lending firm that he founded in 1998, was found dead outside his office early in the morning by an employee, just minutes after the shooting. While there were no immediate suspects, Robert Deer, 52, was taken in and charged with criminal harassment. Beauchamp had received threatening e-mails for months leading up to the shooting. Deer has been released on bail. Police also wouldn't say how Mr. Deer knew Mr. Beauchamp. However, local media reported that the firm turned down Mr. Deer's application for a mortgage.

1/9 Winston-Salem, NC Woman Shot by Husband at ReHab Center

Lee Terry Sr. shot Shefon McIntyre while she was working at the Winston-Salem Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Shortly before 6 a.m., he arrived to speak with her. The two went into the stairwell where he then shot the 61 year old woman. Although he fled the scene, he later turned himself in to the police. The victim is recovering at the hospital.

1/9 Vereeniging, South Africa Employer Murders Workers for Organizing Labor

Employer Charl Colyn, his daughter Isabel, son-in-law Jacques Smit and family friend Ruan Swanepoel are accused of murdering 3 of Colyn’s employees at a Laundromat. Caroline Lesito (28), Constance Moeletsi and Victoria Ndweni (30) were found dead in laundry bins at their workplace, Protea Dry Cleaners. Another three suspects are still being sought by police. The Colyns' gardeners, Samuel Mzizi and Jacob Dlamini are also charged as accessories to the crime as they were paid to clean up the crime scene.
According to charges, 9 people entered the workplace and began to assault the employees. At one point they opened a washing machine, threw chemicals in the machine and put victims in. When taken out, they were tied up and strangled, left for dead in the dust bins. As for a possible motive, one of the victims influenced workers to join the union and had already reported the owners to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration).

6/29/1994 San Fernando, Trinidad Hitman, Hired by Husband and 3rd wife, Murders former wife and Dr.

Professor Vijay Naraynsingh, his wife, Seeromani Maraj-Naraynsingh and Elton Ramasir are being tried for the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh. Naraynsingh was gunned down outside her workplace by hitman Shawn Parris on June 29, 1994 as she left her workplace at the now defunct Langmore Health Foundation.

1/15 Tecumseh, MI Man Assault Girlfriend at Hospital over Cell Phone

Royce Wayne Ohlinger, 29, alledgely assaulted his 24 year old girlfriend at her workplace, Herrick Memorial Hospital. The two had spoken earlier in the evening when the man accused her of seeing someone else. He went to the hospital at 3:48 a.m. and confronted her in the X-ray room. Ohlinger wanted to see her cell phone to see who she had been speaking with and in the ensuing struggle, the woman claimed that he struck her and pushed her to the ground resulting in her heading a cart. He fled as she went to the emergency room. Police called the man on her phone and requested that he return to the hospital which he refused. He was later apprehended by deputies and charged with domestic violence and larceny of property worth less than $200, according to jail records.

1/10 Kansas City, KS Man Fires Shotgun at Plant then Commits Suicide at Home

Lester King, 52, fired shots inside a lighting plant, Midwest Lighting Solutions but did not strike anyone. He later returned to his home and committed suicide in his car, using a shotgun. After leaving the plant, he called a friend stating that he was going to kill himself. When asked if he shot anyone, King responded, “"No, I was just mad and wanted to make a statement." According to a company spokesman, King was disciplined just before the event, went home and returned with a firearm at around 2:20 pm. King was a well-known blues guitarist in the community.

1/6 Louisville, KY Meter Reader Confronted by Man with Knife

Two officers responded to a call from a water company employee after he was confronted by a man with a knife while taking a reading at a home. When officers arrived, the Michael Woods, 38 confronted them and cut a supervising officer on the face and the shoulder. Another officer then shot the man in the leg and the chest.

1/4 Commercial City, CO Man Shoots Ex-Wife at AutoGlass Shop

Brian Fossey, 40, shot his estranged wife as she was leaving her work at an auto glass shop around 5 p.m. Police found her in parking lot and took her to hospital where she is expected to recover. Fossey, left the scene but was later found the next night at 3 a.m. on the side of road. He sustained minor injuries after his car went off the road. He had take an overdose of prescription medicine. His condition is stable and we will be charged with first-degree assault charges.

1/3 Ajax, Canada Man Abducts and Assaults Woman with Knife

A man was accused of kidnapping and stabbing his former common-law wife. She was working at her Whitby workplace when he abducted her at knifepoint around 10:30 a.m. The 23-year-old victim was held against her will for several hours and assaulted with a knife when she tried to escape. Family members called her cellphone and she indicated she needed police assistance. Police arrived at his home around 7 p.m. and took a man into custody. The woman was taken to hospital with wounds to her head and back.

12/31 Phoenix, AZ Man Kills Self and Ex-Wife, Wounds Boyfriend and Daughter

A yet unnamed man killed his ex-wife, Guadalupe Ava Rios, critically wounding her boyfriend and his 2 year old daughter. Police believe that the ex-husband, had been driving around in a truck with his two daughters, ages 2 and 3 ½, when he found Rios was walking to her workplace. Her boyfriend was also at the scene when the couple confronted each other. Investigators believe the ex-husband opened fire on 26-year-old Rios and shot her 25-year-old boyfriend numerous times in the stomach, then turned the handgun on himself. The slain couple’s 2-year-old daughter was shot in the right wrist, perhaps by a stray bullet.

12/28 Detroit, MI UPS Worker Shoots Family Members then Co-Worker

Jamal Samuels, 22 shot his mother, 56-year-old Annie Samuels, and his 14-year-old niece multiple times at their home in the early hours before he fire to a bedroom in an apparent attempt to burn down the house. He then drove to the UPS sorting facility where he worked at about 3 a.m. in a lot behind a Wal-Mart store where some UPS employees park. He had previous been at his job but was sent home due to lack of work. After lying in wait, he shot and killed co-worker who was leaving the center. Samuels apparently then drove to another co-worker's home nearby in Wayne County's Redford Township, where he took his own life in the driveway. Police found AK-47 rounds at his home but had not stated what kind of weapon was used.
Samuels allegedly suffered from a mental disorder and was not taking his medication. During the shooting at the Wal-Mart parking also damaged a silo, causing the loss of 60,000 gallons of milk, costing at least a $150-thousand loss.

12/23 Spokane, WA Santa Shot by Boy with BB Gun

A 13-year-old boy in Washington was charged with of shooting a mall Santa. The boy used a BB gun and shot from the second floor of the mall. The man was struck just under the eye but did not suffer any injuries and was able to continue to work.

12/23 Houston, TX Former Employee Shoots Supervisors at Oil Change Shop

Ritchie Arthur Brown, 22, arrived at Universal Oil & Lube around noon and began to argue over his recent termination with his former supervisor and son. He then shot the two. Workers at the automotive shop said the alleged shooter worked at the place for a few months, but wasn't a good fit. Brown then fled home and held off police till late in the evening. After several attempts with negotiation and the use of tear gas, Brown came out, shooting at the officers. He was then killed by responding fire.

12/17 Manatee, FL Man Holds Woman Hostage with Razor

Fred Williams Jr., 46, held a woman hostage at her workplace for 6 hours with a razor blade. The man and woman have a child together. He struck here several times and threatened to kill her between 5 and 11 p.m. Williams was later arrested for kidnapping, aggravated assault and domestic battery.

12/18 Vista, CA Man Kills Two Co-Workers at Pool Supply Factory

Imeldo Molina Laurel, 52, is wanted for the murder of two co-workers at Polaris Pool Systems Inc. While a motive is unknown, witnesses at the scene believe that it something related to outside of the workplace. Early Sunday morning, Maria Martinez, 38, and Manuel Lopez Alvarez, 46, were sitting outside in the parking lot during a break when Molina drove up and shot them numerous times,. The suspect had worked for Polaris since 1994 and had no history of violence. It is believed that he fled to Mexico.

11/27 Albany, GA Pizza Hut Employee Killed in Parking Lot by Jealous Man

Deyale Johnson, 20 and Nevarro Brinson, 22, were charged with murder for the killing of Damarcus Wadell. Allegedly, Wadell and Johnson were dating the same woman. The two assailants gunned down the victim in the parking lot of the Pizza Hut where he worked.

6/10 Fresno, CA Former Employer Kidnaps and Plans Murder of Woman

Ricardo Zambrano, 36, and Alfonso Cuevas Gonzalez, 39, were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, carjacking and other charges when they took a woman outside her Menlo Park workplace in a plan to rape and murder her because she rebuffed Zambrano's romantic advances when she worked for him earlier in the year. The plan failed when the woman at whose house the crimes were supposed to occur didn't let Gonzalez inside. He was forced to bring the victim to another location. The victim later escaped with the help of another woman, an associate’s mother who learned of the crime. The attempted murder charges against the men were later dropped.

12/15 St. Paul, MN Co-Worker Shoots Other at UPS Distribution Center

A 19-year-old employee of a UPS distribution plant, Nathaniel Harris, shot and wounded a fellow co-worker at around 8:50 am in the parking lot. The suspect had finished his night shift, went home and tried to re-enter the facility but was not allowed in. He waited outside for his victim, whom he had a dispute with, and shot him with a shotgun, grazing his head. The victim, Jeffrey Anderson, went to the security desk to report the assault. The suspect later turned himself into the police.

Kansas Counties Expected to Pass Law and get Funds for Caseworker Safety Programs

The bill, expected to be signed by Bush before Christmas, is the latest in a series of initiatives that sprang from Teri Zenner’s slaying 15 months ago. She was stabbed to death in August 2004 while visiting Ellmaker at his Overland Park home.
Johnson County Mental Health officials have instituted new safety procedures, which are being adopted by the state of Kansas. And Matt Zenner has been on a mission to create national caseworker safety legislation he wants known as “Teri’s Law.” Johnson County Mental Health is emphasizing education over the latest technology. For instance, they tried Global Positioning Systems and one-button calling from a cell phone, but they generally proved unsatisfactory.
Instead, other procedural measures were put in place such as potentially violent client’s file will have a tag alerting workers to the possible risks. Caseworkers also are required to alert the staff to their daily schedules by computer, to register their vehicles with the mental health center and to provide photos for better identification should they turn up missing. More significant, initial visits with clients are now more likely to happen in the office, or with two staff members present. During office visits, a copy of a client’s picture ID is taken. Windows have been placed in all doors for better monitoring, and blinds in all rooms are required to be open. Other changes mean that corrections clients will be seen in jail, staffers will wear identification badges and have their photos placed in a county database. Emergency color codes will now alert workers through an overhead paging system when a crisis occurs.
Studies show fear of violence is a reality for caseworkers. As many as one in four social workers have reported some form of attack, Catherine Crisp, an assistant professor at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. Also, 48 percent of all nonfatal injuries from assaults on the job happen in the social services and health-care fields, says U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Kansas Democrat and former county prosecutor who introduced the $100,000 funding measure for the counties in his district.

12/12 Fayetteville, NC Man Shoots Female Co-Worker at VA Pharmacy

Arthur Charland, 42, is charged in the killing of his supervisor, Pharmacist Linda Leviton, 38. Both worked at the pharmacy of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. According to reports, a 911 dispatcher received a call about 8:15 p.m. from a hospital operator about an irate person in the pharmacy. Charland went to the workplace with a 12-gauge shotgun wrapped as Christmas gift and took it out. loading it as he confronted Leviton whome he shot three or four times. He then went to the hospital police office to inform them about what happened and even brought them to the scene. The two had an on and off relationship which Leviton was trying to end. She had apparently called Charland earlier in the evening and he responded by coming back to work to kill her. She is survived by her two teen-age children.

11/20/2003 Earth City, Missouri Man on Trial for Murder of Ex-Girlfriend in Company Parking Lot

Scott McLaughlin is on trial for the murder of Beverly Guenther, 45, which alledgely took place in the parking lot of her workplace on November 20th, 2003. The police testified that they found the suspect’s car, the victim's blood and a broken knife handle on that parking lot the night she disappeared. The judge has also allowed evidence of her previously made statements stating that she was repeatedly harassed by McLaughlin by phone and in person from Oct. 28 to Nov. 12, 2003 and that at one point, he jumped out of the bushes at the same parking lot. Guenther was scheduled to testify against McLaughlin in Lincoln County Circuit Court in the domestic case on Nov. 21, 2003, the morning after her disappearance. McLaughlin also had prior convictions and is a registered sex offender.

12/5 Shelby, NC Restaurant Owner Threatened by Ex-Con Boyfriend

Leslie Wade Walker Jr., 48, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, larceny of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, assault by pointing a gun and communicating threats after an encounter with girlfriend, Sylvia Gentry. According to sources, Gentry allegedly confronted Walker at the restaurant she owns, about a letter he received from an ex-girlfriend while he was in prison. Walker then went to the back of the restaurant and returned with a .223 caliber rifle, which apparently was kept at the establishment. He then threatened to kill Gentry and leave her body in the cooler and fired two shots inside. No one was hurt and there were no customers in at the time. Walker was later apprehended after a brief chase.

12/6 St. Paul, MN Ex-Employee’s Boyfriend Rapes Worker who Replaced Girlfriend’s Job

Is charged with raping a recently hired store clerk at a Villeda Express where his girlfriend used to work. He entered the store around 5 p.m. wearing a ski mask and ordered the woman into the basement, threatening her with a knife. The worker recognized the man as he frequented the store. In fact, his girlfriend was fired because of his frequent visits to the business. The worker also had her 3 year old son with her who witnessed the assault. Estrada allegedly threatened to take the boy if she did not remove her clothing which she did before he repeatedly assaulted her. When the worker returned upstairs, she noticed that a laptop was missing which was later found in Estrada’s home. After the assault, the co-owners of the store received a call from a man that they recognized as Estranda as he asked them what was going on at the store.

11/30 Fort Oglethorpe, GA Councilman's Wife Attacks other Council member with Candy

Wanda Egeland, the wife of Fort Oglethorpe City Councilman Richard Egeland, came to Moye’s workplace, Rominger and Associates, made derogatory comments and threats to her husband’s colleague Councilwoman Jane Moye. Egeland accused her of having an affair with her husband, which Moye denies. The councilwoman said Mrs. Egeland also snatched an audio tape recorder from Moye’s hand and shredded the tape which was being used to record Egeland’s verbal attack on her. She also through candy at the woman.
Egeland was charged with criminal trespass and simple battery and booked at the Catoosa County Detention Center.

Canadian Survey of Nurses finds that Violence is Common

The Ontario Nurses' Association is taking a strong stance against violence as two of its members lost their lives early this year to intimate partner violence. A recent survey that they did showed:
• 36 per cent of nurses have experienced physical violence in the workplace, the majority physically attacked by patients.
• 67 per cent of nurses say they have been the target of verbal abuse in the workplace. Patients and doctors are the most-reported source of the verbal abuse.
• 11 per cent of nurses report they have been the target of sexual abuse in the workplace. Patients and doctors are the most-reported source of the sexual abuse.

12/1 Millersville, MD Bus Mechanic Askes Co-Workers how to Build Bomb for ex's- new Boyfriend

Wayne Lewis Milburn, 40, a mechanic at Dillon's Bus Service was charged with manufacturing a destructive device, possession of a destructive device, and possession of a handgun. Officers searched his pickup truck and found a Ruger .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition on the passenger seat and the bomb behind that seat.
According to police, Mr. Milburn intended to hurt his estranged wife's boyfriend, a 35-year-old man from Crofton. Authorities were tipped off as he was talking to his co-workers about his plans, and was asking them how to build a bomb and where he could get some more guns.

11/30 Fort Worth, TX Sailor Attempts Suicide at Base

A sailor who wrestled with his supervisors for control of a gun Fort Worth on Thursday remained hospitalized in serious condition Friday, officials said.

The sailor, who has not been identified, was shot in the neck about 12:40 p.m. in an office at Naval Air Station. The sailor went to his workplace to shoot himself but was stopped by two supervisors, Lt. Brian Sullivan and Chief Petty Officer Charles Lackey, who were grazed by the bullet.

The distraught sailor had a "combination of some personal and military issues."

The handgun was a personal weapon, which was not authorized to have on base where only security personnel are allowed to carry handguns on the installation.

New Study Suggests Management Style More than Employee Personality Cause of Violence

Queen's School of Business (Canada) professor Julian Barling is the co-author of a recent study on supervisor-targeted aggression, which was published in the Journal Of Applied Psychology. Barling's findings suggest that aggression against supervisors was a result of perceived feelings of injustice and abusive supervision and not an individual's history of violence or self-esteem. He states that most organizations try to prevent violence try to exclude people through pre-employment screening and not paying enough attention to how they are treated once they are employed. The study was based on responses from questionnaires from 105 employees (78 females, 27 males) at two Canadian universities who worked two jobs, with a different supervisor in each job. Significantly, the study found that supervisor-directed aggression in one job did not translate into aggression against the supervisor in the other job, indicating that much of the aggression was due to conditions in the particular workplace as opposed to the individual's personality.

Maine Agencies to Adopt Domestic Violence Policy

The state of Maine requires its agencies to implement Domestic Violence Policies and train employees in an executive order that Gov. John Baldacci signed last year. The policies will: encourage employees to look for signs of domestic abuse in their co-workers; will offer specific help to employees suffering abuse and outline rules prohibiting any employee from engaging in any form of domestic abuse. The Department of Public Safety now has established on-line training for its 600 employees, who are mandated to complete it. The site is open to the public at www.myworkplacehelp.org.

Lower Convictions for Inmates who Assault NY Public Employee

Alton Hutchinson assault trial ended with a judgment that disappointed the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF). Hutchinson, a former Elmira Correctional Facility inmate was acquitted of the most serious charges and found guilty of 2 second-degree assault charges when he assaulted female counselor in her office. A corrections officer and co-worker discovered the attack in progress, came to her aid and ultimately may have saved her life. In a statement from PEF, “We are concerned the verdict sends the wrong message to inmates that they can continue to commit crimes while incarcerated. All too often, our members are told violence is part of the job. Getting punched, kicked or abused should not be part of anyone's job." Earlier, Governor Pataki vetoed a workplace violence prevention bill supported by PEF and passed by both houses of the Legislature. The bill would have required public employers to assess their workplaces and develop and implement prevention programs.

Half of Young Scots Serving the Public Experience Violence from Clients

Almost half of all Scottish young workers who deal with the public have been exposed to violence, according to new research. A study that is part of a campaign urging people to know their rights in the workplace also found that 31% had been verbally or physically attacked, threatened, sworn or spat at by a member of the public in the last 12 months. However, 48% of those who experience abuse viewing it as "part of the job". Fears are greatest among female workers, with one in five worried about dealing with violence at work. The research, commissioned for the Scottish Executive's Bang Out of Order campaign, was conducted among 16 to 24-year-olds during October. Respondents worked in a range of sectors which deal with the public, including hospitality, retail, fast food, healthcare, call centre and transport organizations.

WI Bill Allowing Employees to Bring Guns to Work

In the Wisconsin state legislature, the Joint Finance committee approved a bill allowing residents to carry concealed weapons in most public places except for youth sporting events; day cares; hospitals, clinics or doctor offices; public or private college campuses; nonprofit organizations that serve children, such as a YMCA; and churches. It may prohibit employers from stopping employees from bringing weapons inside the workplace, except for K-12 schools, taverns and police stations. As the bill stands now, property owners would need to post signs and orally notify every individual in order to ban weapons on their property.

10/28 Charleston, IL Woman Stabbed by Ex-Boyfriend at Substance Abuse Residential Program

Steven B. Decker, 47, is charged with attempted murder as he went to Elizabeth E. Knupp’s workplace at the Central East Alcoholism and Drug Council residential facility and stabbed her numerous times with a steak knife. She had a TRO since Sept. 12th which he violated earlier when he left her a card on her car on Oct. 17th. Knupp stated that she was afraid for her life when she realized Decker had arrived shortly before midnight. He allegedly told her not to do anything when she started to reach for a telephone. She then ran down a hallway and was knocked down as Decker stabbed her on the chest, in the stomach and hands. There was an earlier conviction for domestic battery between them.

11/04 Kitsap, WA Counselor Stabbed by Client during Home Visit

Larry William Clark stabbed Marty Smith to death as he responded to a crisis counseling call at Clark’s mother’s apartment. She had called Kitsap Mental Health Services as Smith had been off his medication. Clark, a counselor, went to the home and decided to bring him in for a mental evaluation. When Clark refused to go, Smith called 911. Clark beat Smith, according to police, then stabbed him to death with a knife.

11/20 Redding, CA Woman Plans Murder of Ex-boyfriend at her Workplace

Six people were arrested in relations to the murder of Leo Wayne Tokarz Rapp, 20. Investigators believe Rapp was lured to the workplace of his former girlfriend, 18-year-old Victoria Rose Sherman. Rapp had allegedly sexually assaulted her and that she and others devised a plan to assault him. As they were leaving town, they hit a ditch which caused the car to flip over. Responding officers then found the body in the trunk. The assault occurred in the garage of the care facility where Sherman worked.

11/12 Windsor, Canada Dr. Stabs Nurse in Hospital then Over-doses

Dr. Mark Daniel, 50, an anesthesiologist at Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital stabbed Lori Dupont near the start of her day shift as she was preparing a post-surgery recovery room with another nurse shortly before 9 a.m. He assaulted her with a military style dagger and then fled the scene only to be found a short while later, dying from a overdose of drugs. The two had previous relationship but she ended it earlier this year. He was then removed from duty due to his stalking behavior and because of his suicide attempt, from which she had saved his life. The hospital reportedly had taken numerous security measures to protect Dupont but later some were eased, allegedly with her approval, even after he returned to work at the hospital. She had applied for a TRO against him back in February but the hearing for the trial was still pending while the attack occurred. Daniel later died from the overdose.

11/23 Glen Burnie, MD Former Truck Driver Returns to Shoot Supervisors at Food Distrubution Center

Joe Cobb, 54, entered H&M Wagner & Sons, a food distribution center where he worked as a truck driver and shot 2 former supervisors. Operations Manager Jack Helms was shot twice in the stomach and chief truck driver Ray Hines was shot in the arm before Cobb went outside and committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .38 caliber handgun. He had worked at the center for 4 years before being fired several weeks ago for misconduct issues. Co-workers stated that although he made no known threats, he was alledgely hostile, had a bad temper and was going through family difficulties. The supervisors were later released from the hospital.

11/11 Houston, TX Abuser/Escapee Show Up at Nightclub Where Victim Works

Santiago J. Gonzalez, 20, escaped from a community residential treatment program that was part of probation for an assault on his girlfriend. He showed up at her workplace, a nightclub at around midnight but was not apprehended by police. Only a few hours later, he was at her apartment with 5 or 6 other men as they kicked in her bedroom and living room windows. Gonzalez and the woman have a child together.

8/04 School Supervisors Tackle Suspended Employee with Assault Rifle

Walter "Pete" Soucy and Vincent Smith received the Hartford Police Dept.’s Distinguished Citizen's Award for their heroic efforts in stopping a workplace violence tragedy. The two confronted and subdued a suspended employee who showed up armed with a loaded Colt AR-15 semiautomatic assault rifle. The suspect, who had three clips on him, was suspended for drinking on the job by Soucy.

11/12 Easton, MD Applebee’s Workers Shot into Van after Work

Jermiar Singletary, 29 and Deaven Smith, 27, were leaving work at the restaurant when Singletary allegedly got into an argument with a man who was waiting in the parking lot for another employee. The man alledgely provoked the workers and rammed Singletary's vehicle with his van. According to police, Singletary retrieved a gun from his vehicle and fired 3 times, once into the man's van. The firearm was later found by law enforcement and stopped the two men on another street.

8/17 Haverford Township, PA Man Stabs Wife to Death at Mattress Factory

Kevin Sullivan, 45, allegedly stabbed his wife to death while she was at work at the Verlo Mattress Factory near a shopping center. Lori Sullivan, 39, was assaulted with a hunting style knife and was struck on the right side of her neck. Police were called at 1:50 p.m. and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The next day, a witness told police that Sullivan had called him the day before at about 1:38 p.m. and allegedly said, "I f--- up. I think I killed Lori."

9/27 Crete, Greece Man Kills Wife for Custody of Son

A 50-year-old man confessed to killing his 43-year old wife. He alleges to want to reunite with her but the received a court notice regarding the custody of their youngest boy. He shot her twice with a hunting rifle as she was leaving her workplace.

10/31 Tysons Corner, VA Woman Rescued from Sexual Assault in Bathroom

Benyamen Marshall, 27, was charged with abduction as he sexually assaulting a woman in the bathroom at her workplace. It was lunchtime when a few men heard screaming inside of the Ladies room. One man entered and tried to pull the Marshall off the 23-year old victim but was also assaulted. As the door was then locked, the other men had to beat down the door to rescue them. Allegedly, the doors to the bathroom had been locked, requiring a key but that procedure was dropped because of inconvenience.

9/25 Rockville, MD Customer Assaults Employee at Best Buy

Giovanna Saenz, 41, the managing director of a Community Ministries organization, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault and resisting arrest after a dispute over a refund with a customer service representative. She was in a Best Buy, trying to return an MP3 player but when she was refused, she became enraged and threw two MP3 players and a CD player, striking an employee. After police arrived, she refused to leave. When officers tried to escort her, she struck him on the face with an open right hand and knocked down an employee en route to the door, according to the charges. She was then apprehended by police and charged with assault.

9/26 Port Washington, NY Man Takes Teenager from Workplace Whom He Met On-Line

Daniel Gillott, 37, was charged with with two counts of first-degree sexual abuse when he took a teen-ager from work place and assaulted her. They had met on-line and exchanged e-mails. He was able to figure out where she worked through her extensive online profile. Gillott waited until the teenager went outside for a break, at around 4 p.m. He approached her, engaged her in a conversation, then allegedly lured the girl into his car through threats and had inappropriate and forcible sexual contact with her. It's unclear whether the girl returned to her job after the alleged attack, but that night she told her parents about the incident, and they called police and filed a report. He was arrested 3 days later.

10/18 North Lauderdale, Fla. Woman Stabs Co-Worker over Microwave Use

A south Florida woman stabbed another female co-worker as they worked at a Walgreens store. The pair, 20 and 23, had an ongoing dispute that came to a head. The offender used a large kitchen knife and stabbed the other in the abdomen over a fight about use of the workplace microwave oven. The two fought over the knife until the store manager managed to separate them and sent to separate hospitals.

10/21 Syosset, NY Man Stabs Boss with Steak Knife

Darlin Fajardo, 35, stabbed his boss, Robert Sisia, 51, on a Friday morning at Tassone Equipment Corp. The two began to argue around 12 Noon though it is not yet known what the two were fighting about. Fajardo used a steak knife when he struck Sisia in the chest, killing him. He then drove away and is sought by police. According to accounts, Fajardo had a bad temper and got upset a lot, fighting with other workers often.

Waitress Denied UI Benefits after Fired for Horse-play

Susan C. Medeiros, who had worked for 22 years as a hostess at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, was fired July 30, 2000, after she jokingly placed her hands around the throat of a co-worker and shook her for about five seconds. Recently, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that she would not be eligible for unemployment benefits under state law. The situation was that a co-worker who was dissatisfied with a work schedule complained, and as a result, many workers found their schedules changed. The incident that got Medeiros fired was fairly unremarkable to anyone who's ever worked in a restaurant. Medeiros, a senior hostess, came up behind the co-worker, put her hands around her neck and shook her lightly while laughingly saying, "It's all because of you." The co-worker reported the incident to a manager and Medeiros was fired. Her employer’s stance is that her conduct was in deliberate disregard of the standards of behavior which they expect of all employees.

10/23 Lake Worth, FLa Man Attacks Ex-Wife with Butcher Cleaver at Market

Rudolph Burke, 48, was charged with attempted first-degree murder when he attacked his ex-wife at her workplace. Merl Samuels was working at the Lake Worth Drive-in market when her ex-husband arrived around 12:30 p.m. He attaked her with a butcher cleaver, striking her in the neck, face and leg before trying to run off. Witnesses tackled him and held him down till law enforcement arrived. She is fair condition.

10/14 Durham, NC Duke Professor Charged with Simple Assault of Employee

Dr. Samuel Wells, 69 and a professor of surgery for the Duke University School of Medicine, was arrested for allegedly grabbing the arm of a female Duke employee. He was apparently attempting to restrain her from leaving on her way to work, according to the warrant and arrest report. The incident took place at 6:27 a.m. and the victim called the police who took her to the magistrate’s office. The relationship between Wells and his accuser and the circumstances surrounding the event are unknown.

10/14 Hickory, NC Man Shoots Wife at her Job in Hospital

Howard McGrady, 62, walked into the outpatient unit of Frye Regional Medical Center and shot at his wife, Judy McGrady 3 times with a .44 magnum revolver. She had left him earlier in the week for unknown reasons. She working her job as a transcriptionist when he found her at her office which is off a hallway that leads from the common waiting area. It was around 10:40 am when he stood in the hallway, outside her office and started firing. Co-workers tackled him and held him till security arrived. Fortunately as the assault occurred in a hospital, she was able to receive quick emergency care and is expected to recover.

10/14 Orlando, FL Man Points Sub-Machine Gun at Wife at Wal-Mart

Jose D. Hernandez, 37, walked into his wife’s workplace at approximately 5 pm in the evening and pointed a Tech-9, an assault rifle that is easily adapted to be fully automatic. It was at her Wal-Mart store when he found her, pointed the "now legal" assault rifle and pulled the trigger but it did not fire. He was later found inside a home by officers. As he was trying to load the weapon while ordered to drop it, he was killed by the responding officers. There had been more than 20 previous domestic disturbance calls to their home in the past and a recent one lead to an appointed with a prosecutor to file charges against him. But as she did not show up for the meeting, charges where never filed.

10/12 Trinidad Man Stabs Wife to Death at Gas Station

Rooplal Nandlal, 42, was charged with stabbing to death his wife Radha, 41, at an NP Quik Shoppe gas station where she worked as a cleaner. She was stabbed times in the neck, chest and arms and died as her lungs and liver were punctured. The attacked occurred during the work day as dozens of people saw her die.

10/10 Clinton, MD Man Sets Wife on Fire at Cell Phone Store

Roger Brian Hargrave, 33, was charged with attempted murder and assault when he attempted to burn Yvette Cade to death. Witnesses stated that he entered a cellular telephone store in and confronted Mrs. Cade, who was trying to end their abusive marriage. He threw gasoline on her and then set her on fire. Cade tried to obtain a restraining order in August but the order was rescinded last month when the judge decided that there was not enough evidence of a physical threat. She is expected to recover.

10/7 Edgewater, MD Man Kills Ex-Girlfriend’s Boss and Associate at Mortgage Firm

Michael Wayne Baxter Jr., 30, shot and killed Kenneth Brian Kertesz, 43, and wounded William Augustus Snow, 44, who was not an employee but an associate also present. He then drove his truck to a nearby drugstore and killed himself. The shooting, which occurred at Universal Mortgage and Finance, was committed just before 3:30 pm. A Prince George’s county police spokesman stated that the shooting was domestic in nature, but did not elaborate. Other sources state the shooting was a result of a breakup between Michael Wayne Baxter and Erin McLaughlin, an employee of mortgage firm. On the day of the tragedy, McLaughlin wasn't at work, but Baxter still came to the firm to commit the assault.

10/7 Houston, TX Ex-Employee Returns to Kill Employer During Robbery

Kevin Christian Martin, 26, a fired Jason's Deli employee, returned with two friends with plans to rob his former workplace and ended up killing his former boss, Ryan David Martin, 29 (no relation). Kevin was fired him less than two weeks earlier for using a customer's credit card. Testimony revealed that Martin recruited two friends to burglarize the deli while it was closed and steal money from the safe but when they arrived, the owner was inside working. Although Ryan Martin, who had two young children, did not resist, he was shot in the neck and died in a back office, testimony revealed.

10/5 West Palm Beach, FL Employer Shot by Ex-Boyfriend of Employee during Rosh Hashanah Services

Marc Benayers, 79, shot Jonathan Samuels, 44, at a synagogue during Rosh Hashanah prayer service. While this was not at either man’s employment, a job-related relation was the source of the dispute. Samuals was the employer of Maria Pinto, Benayer’s ex-girlfriend. Benayer had allegedly been stalking and threatening her for months, as well as her 16-year-old daughter and her two bosses. Despite the threatening letters and numerous calls to police, allegedly they weren't able to get Benanyer arrested. At work, it became as issue as "She was always crying, always howling at her desk," said Mark Levy, Samuel’s business partner. They had tried to help their employee leave her abusive relationship and even assisted in her application for a restraining order and obtaining full ownership of her home. According to family members, Benayers came to the temple with a gun and called Samuels out of the temple. He then tried to talk it over once more but when he walked away, Samuals was shot in the back twice. He is in critical condition. While being taken into custody Tuesday by Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies, Benayer stated, “(he) got a restraining order against me. . .He is the mastermind, the engineer of my destruction.”

FL Bill to Allow Workers to Bring Gun to Work

Two state lawmakers, backed by the National Rifle Association, have filed bills in the Florida legislature that would allow workers to have guns at work, as long as the weapons remain locked in their vehicles. With this particular bill, employers could even face up to 5 years in prison if they try to stop employees from bringing guns to work in their cars. The bill, HB 129 and SB 206, will be introduced in the 2006 legislative year which starts in March. Additional language attempts to allievate businesses concerns by shielding companies from lawsuits should an employee commit a crime with the gun kept in a car on company property. Thus even if a company should know of a threat to coworkers, as long as the gun came from the perpetrators car in the employee lot, they would be immune to civil action. Most of the major employers in Florida have a no-weapons policy.