The 2008 Atlantis Plastics shooting was a

mass shooting A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...

that took place in the early morning hours of June 25, 2008, at the Atlantis Plastics factory in

Henderson, Kentucky Henderson is a home rule-class city along the Ohio River and the county seat of Henderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,781 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is part of the Evansville–Henderson, IN–KY Combined Statis ...

, United States. Wesley Neal Higdon, a 25-year-old employee at the factory, shot and killed five people and critically injured a sixth person before committing

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

inside the factory.The shooting is the worst in the history of

Henderson County, Kentucky Henderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The county is located in western Kentucky on the Ohio River across from Evansville, Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,793. Its county seat is Henderson. The co ...

, in terms of casualties, surpassing triple homicides occurring in 1799 and 1955.

Details

The shooting started at around 12:30am When Higdon retrieved a .45 caliber

semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...

from his car, fatally shot the supervisor outside, then went back into the factory and proceeded into the break room where he fatally shot four more co-workers. Higdon then fatally shot another co-worker on the factory plant floor and critically injured another co-worker. The shooting ended when Higdon shot himself in the head with his handgun. Subsequent reports indicate that Taylor had reprimanded Higdon twice before the shooting, once for talking on his

cell phone A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This radio ...

too much and for not wearing safety glasses, then later for an altercation with co-worker Joshua Hinojosa at a

convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, bakkal, bodega, corner store, corner shop, superette or mini-mart is a small retail store that stocks a range of everyday items such as convenience food, groceries, beverages, tobacco products, lotter ...

across the street from the factory. The victims were all shot with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Taylor was apparently shot by Higdon outside the factory, followed by four more workers in the factory's break room, and finally Hinojosa from behind on the factory floor. Higdon then committed suicide. 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. According to police, two hours before the shooting Higdon called his girlfriend and advised her was going to kill his boss at the factory. She did not inform anyone of the call.

Victims

Deceased

* Wesley Neal Higdon, gunman, 25, of

Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname * Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada *H ...

* Joshua Hinojosa, co-worker, 28, of Sebree * Trisha Mirelez, co-worker, 25, of Sebree * Israel Monroy, co-worker, 29, of

* Kevin G. Taylor, supervisor, 40, of Dixon * Rachael Vasquez, co-worker, 26, of Sebree

Injured

* Noelia Monroy, co-worker, of Higdon, sister of Israel, shot one time each in the arm, chest, and leg.

References

{{Mass shootings in the United States in the 2000s 2008 in Kentucky 2008 mass shootings in the United States 2008 murders in the United States Attacks on buildings and structures in 2008 Attacks on commercial buildings in the United States Deaths by firearm in Kentucky Henderson County, Kentucky Henderson, Kentucky June 2008 crimes in the United States Mass murder in 2008 Mass shootings in Kentucky 2008 industrial disasters Mass murder in the United States in the 2000s Murder–suicides in Kentucky Workplace shootings in the United States Industrial accidents and incidents in the United States