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"
Security guard shot dead at postal plant "
September 21 2002 - Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
A Waterloo woman, employed
as a Securities Supervisor, was shot dead at the postal plant where she
worked, by a fellow security guard who was recently sacked. According to a
relative, Patricia Sullivan, age 57, normally did not work weekends and
was filling in for the shift and apparently was worried about the man.
Sullivan was a grandmother of one and was a ‘good lady’ and a
‘devoted mom’ according to a relative. She was friendly and well
liked. A suspect was arrested at the scene and a weapon was recovered. No
postal workers or managers at the sorting plant were involved or injured.
Analysis
Tragedies, such as this,
have far-reaching traumatic effects. Family members, co-workers, relatives
and associates are some of those most immediately effected. While people
are asking the question, "Could such a needless tragedy have been
avoided," company officials and the police will be carefully
analyzing all the facts. Similar tragedies have been found to follow a
pattern of irregular behavior by the offender with insufficient attention
being given to escalating warning signs of potential violence. Such
patterns often involve interpersonal conflicts, harassment, outbursts and
threats of violence. Reducing the motivation for violent acts is one of
the most effective measures available in avoiding violent behavior. This
deterrent includes establishing clear policies and procedures for conduct,
reinforcement of standards through awareness training, understanding
violence escalation warning signs, help for the troubled employee, a
timely and effective response to incidents, and accountability for
actions. While all violent situations are not predictable, many are. We
trust that through an analysis of tragic events, lessons can be learned
and similar tragedies avoided.
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