Atlantis Plastics shooting

2008 Atlantis Plastics shooting
Undated Photo of Wesley Neal Higdon
Location	Henderson, Kentucky, U.S.
Date	June 25, 2008 (2008-06-25) c. 12:30am (CDT)
Attack type	Workplace violence, mass murder, mass shooting murder-suicide
Weapon	.45 caliber semi-automatic pistol
Deaths	6 (including the perpetrator)
Injured	1
Perpetrator	Wesley Neal Higdon

The 2008 Atlantis Plastics shooting was a mass shooting that took place in the early morning hours of June 25, 2008, at the Atlantis Plastics factory in Henderson, Kentucky, 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 inside the factory.The shooting is the worst in the history of Henderson County, Kentucky, 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 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 too much and for not wearing safety glasses, then later for an altercation with co-worker Joshua Hinojosa at a convenience store across the street from the factory.

The victims were all shot with a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. 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
• Joshua Hinojosa, co-worker, 28, of Sebree
• Trisha Mirelez, co-worker, 25, of Sebree
• Israel Monroy, co-worker, 29, of Henderson
• 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.