IMHO, the motive for the St. Louis shootings: Corp was effing with workers' retirement accounts

[Bozita]

I'm betting we won't be hearing much about this in the MSM.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BUSINESS_SHOOTING_ST_LOUIS?SITE=KFWB&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Jan 7, 2:56 PM EST

Armed employee opens fire at St. Louis power technology company; at least 3 dead, 5 wounded

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer


ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A disgruntled worker embroiled in a pension dispute with his company walked into the plant and opened fire Thursday, killing three people, wounding five and sending frightened co-workers scrambling into closets and to the snow-covered roof for safety.

Police said the gunman, identified as 51-year-old Timothy Hendron of Webster Groves, a St. Louis suburb, showed up at Swiss-based ABB Group's sprawling plant around 6:30 a.m., armed with an assault rifle and a handgun.

Multiple St. Louis-area media outlets were reporting that Hendron was believed to be among the dead, but police refused to confirm that.

Several hours after the shooting, officers were still inside the plant, going room to room to make sure there were no more victims.

The motive for the shooting wasn't immediately known. But in 2006, Hendron and other ABB workers sued the company over retirement losses. The federal lawsuit accused ABB and its pension-review committee of causing their 401(k) accounts to include investment options with "unreasonable and excessive" - and undisclosed - fees and expenses. The suit went to trial Tuesday in Kansas City.

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[ananda]

1. What a sad sad event for everyone.

Sigh.

[fishnfla]

2. UM, you are quoting an AP story for one thing

thats about as MSM as it gets

I guess, with the anti-corperation schtick thats going on around here lately, it makes it OK for him to kill people?

I hope thats not your point

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. An explanation is no an excuse.

And corporate america would have us believe these are just 'guys who went nuts' rather than people with real grievances that are not being addressed.

If corporate america had not destroyed the labor movement we wouldn't be worried about 401ks - we'd have pensions, and real retirement, not a future of "Welcome to WalMart".

[CanonRay]

3. I hope he at least shot owners and not employees

[malaise]

4. Not one of them on TV mentioned that part

but I did read it in the print media.
He also lost his job after 30 years.

add.

[Bozita]

6. AP update: Neighbors speak; corp retaliation a factor?

Same article as in the OP: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BUSINESS_SHOOTING_ST_LOUIS?SITE=KFWB&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

-snip-

Word of Hendron's alleged involvement in the shooting stunned his neighbors in Webster Groves. Many described Hendron as an amicable family man who kept a well-manicured home.

"I couldn't ask for a better neighbor. We never had any problems with him," said Glennon Meyer, 71, noting that Hendron made friendly gestures ranging from raking Meyer's leaves to bringing over a chocolate cake last Christmas.

Yet even those who knew him casually were aware that Hendron was unhappy at work. He mentioned in passing that he was having problems at ABB, and over the last two years he asked his neighbor Mike Sweney, an attorney, for referral to a good labor lawyer.

Hendron hinted that he was being retaliated against for taking part in the litigation against ABB, Sweney said. He said Hendron didn't elaborate on problems at work but said employees were being treated unfairly and needed to take legal action to set things right.

-snip-

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