Two killed in shooting at Tennessee plastics plant by suspected former employee.
A tragic incident occurred at Barku Plastics, a manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Tennessee, where a vice president and another employee were fatally shot. The shootings took place around 10:20 a.m. on Monday, as confirmed by Cleveland Police Capt. Evie West. Upon arrival, responders found Tobias Gleinig and Ivan Aldergot suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Both individuals were identified as supervisors at the facility and were German nationals.
The Cleveland Police Department expressed their condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased, highlighting the profound impact of such a tragic event on the community.
Authorities swiftly identified a potential suspect connected to the incident, leading them to track the individual’s vehicle to a residence in Bradley County, just outside the city limits of Cleveland. In response, Cleveland police officers, supported by a SWAT team from the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, surrounded the home where the suspect had reportedly barricaded himself inside. The standoff lasted several hours, during which authorities employed drones to assess the situation within the residence. They ultimately discovered the suspect unresponsive, leading preliminary investigations to indicate that he may have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Although the name of the suspect has not been disclosed, investigators believe that he had previously worked at Barku Plastics. This detail adds a complex layer to the tragedy, suggesting a potential motive linked to past grievances at the workplace.
Barku Plastics is a subsidiary of Barku Kunststofftechnik, a German company established in 1977 that specializes in the production of plastic products. Aldergot held the position of vice president within the company, while the specific role of Gleinig is currently unconfirmed.
This incident underscores growing concerns regarding workplace violence and the psychological wellbeing of employees. Local authorities are engaged in a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the event, as the community grapples with the aftermath of this devastating shooting.
