A warehouse employee shot by a coworker while on the job earlier this week has died from their wounds, bringing the total of number people killed in the Ohio workplace shooting to two.
In total, six workers were shot late Tuesday inside the KDC/One Cosmetics warehouse in New Albany, some 15 miles northeast of Columbus. When officers responded to the “large building” just after 11 p.m., they discovered one victim already dead from a gunshot wound . Five others were rushed to the hospital, one of who died a short time later, police said Thursday.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Bruce Foster, was also an employee at the cosmetics and toiletries warehouse, New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones said. He’d been working alongside the victims for several hours before the shooting started. Investigators have not uncovered any evidence so far to suggest a conflict or confrontation happened between the employees during that time, but Jones said Foster seemingly interacted with at least one of the victims.
“It does appear that there was contact between a victim and the shooter,” Jones said. “At this point, I don’t have a clear picture of how involved that contact was.”
Foster, who authorities believe acted alone, managed to flee the scene of shooting in a rideshare just as first responders closed in, Jones said. A manhunt was launched in response, which culminated in Foster’s arrest early Wednesday morning. He was found at an apartment in Columbus, and a stun gun was used to subdue him after he refused to surrender, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Dan Deville said.
“He has spoken with investigators,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t call him fully cooperative.”
A firearm was later recovered from the warehouse, which was packed with about 150 people at the time of the shooting. The gun was “lawfully purchased” by Foster in September, Daryl McCormick, a special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Columbus Field Division, said.
Investigators on Thursday were still working to understand what triggered the deadly workplace violence. While a motive remained unclear on Thursday, Jones said called the shooting a “targeted type of attack,” but he did not offer further details.
Foster is facing an aggravated murder charge, according to an arrest warrant filed in Licking County Court cited by CNN. He is due to be arraigned on Thursday.