California Meat Plant Shooting: 3 Dead, Including Gunman, 2 Injured
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Hemera/Thinkstock(FRESNO, Calif.) — A workplace shooting at a Fresno, Calif., meat plant has left three people dead, including the suspect, and two wounded.
Gunfire erupted around 8:27 a.m. Tuesday at Valley Protein, a meat processing and handling plant.
The gunman, who was identified as Lawrence Jones, 42, was found lying on a sidewalk with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said at a news conference Tuesday. He later died at the hospital.
“We’re still trying to determine what led up to that shooting, what provoked these actions from the suspect,” Dyer said.
Jones, who had worked at the plant for 14 months, clocked in at 4:58 a.m.
“According to one of his coworkers, he did not appear to be himself when he came to work,” Dyer said.
Less than four hours later, Jones, who Dyer said has an “extensive criminal history,” allegedly opened fire on his co-workers. Dyer said at least 30 employees witnessed the shooting.
Two of the victims were taken to Community Regional Medical Center and are in critical condition, Dyer said. One victim later died in the operating room, according to the Fresno Bee.
One surviving victim was in critical condition, while another was listed as serious.
A recording at Valley Protein, which was formerly known as Apple Valley Farms, said the business is closed Tuesday “due to an emergency.”
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