Manager Killed in Pa. Plant Shooting; Second Shooting in N.C.

March 16, 2001
A man who worked at a furniture plant in Pennsylvania opened fire killing a manager and was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday.

A man who opened fire at a furniture plant in East Greenville, Pa., where he worked, killing a manager, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday.

Wednesday''s fatal workplace shooting was one of two in the nation that day.

Michael J. Tompkins, 23, was found dead in his car parked off a state highway a couple of miles from the plant, the Montgomery County district attorney''s office said.

Scott Peters, 42, was killed in the shooting Wednesday night at Knoll Inc., a company that makes office furniture and accessories.

Knoll, a privately owned company, employs about 1,300 workers.

The shooting appeared to have followed a workplace dispute, officials said.

In North Carolina, a man recently fired from PPG Industries ambushed employees at the plant''s parking lot Wednesday evening, killing one man and injuring another.

The suspect, Brandon Eugene Smith, 20, was shot by police who chased him after spotting his truck later that day. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital where he is being treated for a head wound.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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