Workplace Violence: Cupertino Gunman Kills 3 Wounds 7
Workplace Violence
Cupertino Gunman Kills 3 Wounds 7
Friends Urge Surrender
Update 10/6/2011 via Mercury News: Suspect in Cupertino shooting spree has been shot and killed
Oct 5 2011: Authorities say a disgruntled employee, Shareef Allman, opened fire at a meeting at the Lehigh Hanson Quarry site, killing three people and wounding seven others.
Witnesses told police Allman had arrived at a safety meeting at the Lehigh Southwest Cement Permanente Plant in Cupertino at about 4:30 a.m. armed with a handgun and rifle, and opened fire on his co-workers.
Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said Wednesday that two people were pronounced dead at Permanente Quarry in Cupertino, and a third person died later at the hospital.
Smith says seven others were wounded, some of whom are in critical condition.
The suspect then fled and attempted a carjacking, injuring the driver, a contractor of technology firm HP.
A spokesman for Hewlett-Packard said its campus, near where the attempted carjacking occurred, had been closed because of the shooting and the company was working with local authorities who had however, issued a “Shelter-in-Place” alert.
The spokesman confirmed that a contract employee of the technology company had been injured by gunfire and was in “safe, stable and noncritical condition.”
Lehigh Hanson released this statement
“Lehigh Hanson is deeply saddened to confirm a tragic event that occurred this morning at our Permanente Cement Plant in Cupertino, Calif. Reports indicate an employee shot and killed at least two employees and may have wounded others. We continue to gather details of what happened, and are working with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation.
“We are shocked and saddened by this morning’s events,” said Dan Harrington, President and CEO of Lehigh Hanson. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I have committed the company’s resources to assist our affected employees during this difficult time.”
In addition to being an employee of the quarry, the suspect is listed as publisher of the book Amazing Grace – a story of domestic violence. As quoted by the author
“I wanted to change, not only the mindset of abusive men, but to also change the mindset of their victims.”
We also found a group of videos online, where the suspect, a locally popular public access TV host discusses his “negativity recovery” process on his show “Real to Real:”
Until the suspect is apprehended and police finish their work, there is only speculation by co-workers and others as to motive, however as cited in a MercuryNews article:
“Rose Douglas, a neighbor of Allman’s at the Stonegate apartment complex on Renaissance Drive in north San Jose, said Allman had been upset recently because he had been moved from the day shift to the night shift, which interfered with his plans to spend more time with his daughter.”
Some of Shareef Allman’s friends are going to hold a press conference to urge him to turn himself in peacefully. The press conference, announced via this Facebook Page, is scheduled at 1:30 Pacific at the African American Community Service Agency on 6th Street in San Jose.
San Jose, CA, October 5, 2011 – The Santa Clara County Black Community Leaders Coalition unites with San Jose’s Community Organizers, Activists, Educators, Progressive Media and Organizations to Rally for the immediate surrender of Shareef Allman at the San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP – 304 N. 6th Street at 1:30 PM. They will urge Shareef Allman for immediate and non-violent surrender.
“The purpose of this press conference is to mobilize a united front to urge Shareef to surrender to authorities. We don’t want there to be any further violence and this is the best way for Shareef to know the community supports his need to end this senseless violence without any further bloodshed”, said Walter Wilson.
The Santa Clara County Black Community Leaders Coalition encourages the Santa Clara County Community and abroad to join them in solidarity today, October 5, 2011 at 1:30 pm.”
For detailed information on this developing story visit MercuryNews
For assistance with any aspect of your Workplace Violence Prevention program contact Firestorm.
Cupertino Patch has a live feed of the ongoing search
“What should we do now?” “What should we say?”
