Image

Man Beheads Co-Worker in Workplace Dispute

Sept. 26, 2014
One dead, two injured following workplace rampage.

In terms of acts of workplace violence, this has to be one of the most gruesome. A man reportedly beheaded a female co-worker with a knife on Sept. 25 and critically injured another female co-worker before being shot by the company's COO.

Photo: Moore, Okla. Police Department

Police accuse Alton Nolen of beheading 54-year-old Colleen Hufford and critically injuring 43-year-old Traci Johnson at Vaughan Foods in Moore, Okla., before being shot and seriously wounded by the COO, an off-duty reserve sheriff's deputy. Nolen had just been fired.

Police were called at 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 25 and told there was a fight at the facility. When they got there, they found Nolen with a gunshot wound – he is expected to survive – one female victim who was pronounced dead at the scene and one in critical condition.

According to Moore police, Nolen has a fairly substantial criminal history that includes assault and battery on a police officer.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

June 16, 2025
This free guide will define complacency, explain individual and organizational complacency, provide insights into the contributing factors and give a high-level overview of what...
May 22, 2025
Heat stress is a serious challenge that poses immediate and long-term health effects for workers in high-temperature environments. To combat heat stress, it's critical to educate...
May 15, 2025
Foot safety is a serious concern. At your next safety meeting, give your crew eye-opening facts about feet and how proper footwear matters more than they may know. Show your team...
May 15, 2025
If reimbursing employees for safety footwear is how its always been done, maybe its time to learn about the advantages a managed footwear program can offer instead. See a ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!