John Eric Cole Alabama worker shot dead on first day on job by Dexter Rashad Walker at Birmingham manufacturing plant . The two men previously knew each other.
A man was shot dead by a co-worker on his first day at a manufacturing plant in Alabama. The two men are reported to have had a prior ‘difficulties’ earlier in the year.
Jefferson County sheriff’s officials responded to calls of a man shot just after midnight on Wednesday at the Samuel Associated Tube Group in Pinson.
John Eric Cole, 29, of Birmingham, was shot several times in the back while on his first shift at the company. Cole was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
The suspect, Dexter Rashad Walker, 34, had initially fled but was identified by witnesses as an employee, according to AL.com.
The two allegedly had a legal dispute earlier this year.
Court records highlight previous discord between the two workers
Walker promptly returned to the scene and turned himself in. He was transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He is charged with murder.
Officials said it is not clear what led to the shooting. However, a company statement said the victim and the suspected gunman knew each other outside the plant, which employs over 200 people.
Cole is the stepfather of Walker’s son, according to court records according to The News and Observer. In March, Walker accused Cole of choking the 12-year-old boy and making threats months earlier.
‘My son … told me that he doesn’t feel safe at the home where he (resides) and the stepfather has been abusing him over and over,’ Walker wrote, according to court documents.
A judge issued an order requiring Cole and the boy’s mother to stay away from Walker. In July, Walker asked the judge to dismiss the case because he felt that the boy was no longer in danger.
Samuel Associated Tube Group which is a manufacturer of metal pipes for industrial use. said it is cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation.
