Gunman dies after killing 3 at North Carolina lumber company

Gunman dies after killing 3 at North Carolina lumber company

2012-01-15 00:28:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

STAR, NORTH CAROLINA (BNO NEWS) -- Three people were killed on early Friday morning when a gunman opened fire at his co-workers in North Carolina, officials said. The gunmen died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on early Saturday.

The shooting happened just before 6:15 a.m. local time on Friday when a 50-year-old employee walked into a warehouse at a lumber business in the town of Star, which is located in Montgomery County. About 20 people were working at the warehouse at the time.

"Upon the entry into the warehouse, Montgomery County deputies located three deceased bodies. Another injured victim was located near the warehouse," said Sheriff Dempsey Owens. The injured victim was later airlifted to a trauma center in a critical condition.

Deputies later learned that the suspect, who was identified as Ronald Dean Davis, had left the premises and was possibly en-route to his home which is north of Star in the unincorporated community of Ether. A response team quickly responded to his residence.

"Deputies knocked on the door but with no reply," Owens said. "One of the team members observed, through the window, that Mr. Davis was sitting on the couch with his head hung down. The deputies made entry into the residence and found Mr. Davis with a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head."

When officers entered the residence, they also found a gun on the couch next to Davis. "Mr. Davis was still breathing and EMS (emergency medical services) transported him to Firsthealth Montgomery here in Troy. He was later flown out by air ambulance to a trauma center."

On early Saturday morning, Davis died of his severe injuries at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Medical Center, according to Owens. The injured victim is believed to remain in a critical condition from a single gunshot wound.

Few details about the possible motive behind the shooting were immediately released, but Owens said it was possible that Davis was being harassed at work. The victims appeared to have been the target as others were not attacked. Both the victims and Davis were employed at the lumber company.

"Upon further investigation in the residence, the deputies located a six-page, handwritten note that was located beside him," Owens said, without releasing any of the contents. "It's really lengthy, it goes into some details about some things. But it rambles on pretty much."

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