Chattanooga police are investigating a deadly shooting that took place in the parking lot of the Plastic Omnium plant on Hickory Valley Road on Monday night, resulting in the death of a 28-year-old man. Officers were called to the scene around 10:00 p.m., while employees were still inside the facility.
Employees, speaking anonymously out of fear of losing their jobs, recounted the harrowing experience. One employee described how a team leader attempted to apply pressure to the victim’s face in an effort to save his life. Despite their efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
“When I went outside, I saw police everywhere. They had the numbers down for the bullet shells and they had the whole parking lot blocked off,” said one employee. Upon finishing their shift at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, employees could fully grasp the extent of the incident, noting numerous police officers, shattered windows, and bullet holes in car hoods.
The employees mentioned that they were not entirely surprised by the event. Just a week prior, the company had taken steps to enhance security by asking for employees’ license plate numbers to issue parking passes due to the presence of unrecognized vehicles in the parking lot.
However, the shooting and the company’s response have left employees feeling uneasy about their safety at work. “Everybody wanted to go home, nobody wanted to be there even when we changed shifts. Everybody was complaining about how they didn’t want to be there because of what happened last night,” an employee explained.
Concerns have been raised about the lack of armed security at the plant. Employees hope the company will implement better security measures to prevent future incidents.
Local 3 News has reached out to Plastic Omnium for a statement regarding the shooting but has not yet received a response. The investigation by Chattanooga police is ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the authorities.
