Wesley Higdon

Case record: Wesley Higdon

Background

Wesley Neal Higdon was a 25-year-old press operator from Henderson. He was described as “a good kid” by some people in his hometown and as “a troublemaker” by others, with one resident calling him “weird.” Ann Rigdon, 31, of Dixon, knew Higdon in high school and called him “weird.” Rhonda Carter, 27, who knew Higdon from school, said: “He was the kind that got in trouble all the time. He was always mischievous. He was kind of weird. When they said he was the shooter, I was not shocked.” Rigdon said: “He was kind of a loner - and if he hung out with people, they were nothing but trouble.” Maxine Duncan knew Higdon as a boy through her grandson and said: “He was a good kid. I never saw him do a thing. I never would have thought of him doing something like that.”

Police said Higdon was known to keep a .45-caliber pistol in his car. Investigators said Higdon called his girlfriend and told her he wanted to kill his boss after an argument with his supervisor. The girlfriend did not warn anyone, and Higdon later argued with another co-worker before returning to the plant and shooting.

Police said Higdon had no previous violent record. Police said Higdon was arrested once for marijuana possession and again for driving while drunk, but never for anything violent.

The offence

The Atlantis Plastics shooting took place at an Atlantis Plastics factory in Henderson, Kentucky, United States. The gunman shot and killed five people and critically injured a sixth person before taking his own life. He shot his supervisor outside the plant as the supervisor was escorting him from the building, then returned and shot co-workers in the break room and on the plant floor, and then turned the gun on himself.

Authorities said Higdon retrieved a handgun, shot his supervisor, then went back into the factory and shot five co-workers before turning the gun on himself. Victims were shot with a .45-caliber pistol.

A witness described the scene as chaotic. A plant worker said a bullet struck a water line, spraying water all over the plant, and the worker believed it was something electrical before seeing a person lying dead.

Investigation

Henderson police said Higdon had a reputation for being difficult. Investigators were trying to piece together the timing of the shooting spree. Atlantis Plastics CEO Bud Philbrook said Higdon did not appear to have any previous disciplinary problems at the plant.

Police said Higdon called his girlfriend and told her he wanted to kill his boss after an argument with his supervisor. Authorities said Taylor reprimanded Higdon twice before the shooting: once for talking on his cell phone too much and for not wearing safety glasses, then later for an altercation with co-worker Joshua Hinojosa at a convenience store across the street from the factory.

Henderson Police Sgt. John Nevels described the attack as Higdon walking in “looked like he meant business and started shooting at everybody.” Nevels also said Higdon called his girlfriend about two hours before the shooting and advised her that he was going to kill his boss.

Police stated that security video showed what Higdon did next when he returned to work.

Arrest

Higdon was not described as having been arrested in relation to the shooting. Police said he had been arrested once for marijuana possession and again for driving while drunk, but never for anything violent.

Trial

No trial information was provided.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was provided.

Appeals

No appeals information was provided.

Outcome

Higdon committed suicide by shooting himself the same day after killing five co-workers. One co-worker survived with critical injuries and was treated at St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center in Evansville, Indiana.

Henderson County Coroner Bruce Farmer identified Kevin G. Taylor as the supervisor killed in the incident.

Victims (deceased)

• Wesley Neal Higdon, gunman, 25, of Henderson
• Joshua Hinojosa, co-worker, 28, of Sebree
• Trisha Mirelez, co-worker, 25, of Sebree
• Israel Monroy, co-worker, 29, of Henderson
• Kevin G. Taylor, supervisor, 40, of Dixon
• Rachael Vasquez, co-worker, 26, of Sebree (A report also described Kevin G. Taylor as “30, of Dixon.”)

Injured

• Noelia Monroy, co-worker, of Henderson

Aftermath

The killings stunned the Ohio River town of about 28,000 people. At a prayer service Wednesday night, residents gathered to mourn the victims, and some weeping softly carried roses.

The facility closed for most of the day but reopened for limited production Wednesday night. Atlantis Plastics sent employees home Wednesday, and the company hoped to resume limited operations at night.

Plant manager Dean Jorgensen said: “This is the worst day of my life.” Another account described Jorgensen breaking into tears while speaking.

Henderson County Judge-Executive Sandy Watkins said: “Our whole community is in shock.” Atlantis Plastics CEO Bud Philbrook said: “It’s just total shock. It’s something you read about in the paper.” Philbrook also issued a statement late Wednesday:

“This is a devastating loss to this community which we have been a part of for more than 40 years,” Philbrook said in a statement late Wednesday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and we will work with them to provide our help and support.”

Rev. Jason McClure, who had spent much of the morning with the victims’ families, said: “They are very upset and hurting deeply and just trying to figure out what to do next,” and “they are very upset and hurting deeply and just trying to figure out what to do next,” with another account quoting him as “They are very upset and hurting deeply and just trying to figure out what to do next,” and stating the families of four of the victims spent Thursday at Townsend Funeral Home in Sebree, Kentucky, preparing for weekend memorial services and declined interviews.

A worker described hearing gunshots and thought it was something electrical before seeing the injured person lying dead.

Other details

The 911 calls included the following statements.

• Dispatcher asked: “What’s your emergency?”
• Caller said: “We need, uh, an ambulance please. A guy just killed himself and killed another employee at Atlantis Plastics.”
• Caller later said: “I called earlier from Atlantis Plastics.”
• Caller said: “There is more than two people dead.”
• Dispatcher responded: “OK.”
• Caller said: “There’s like one, two, three, four, five people dead.”
• Dispatcher asked: “Is anyone alive?”
• Caller said: “Supervisor is dead too.”
• Caller said: “Yeah, there is people alive. One is breathing. In all, six people dead.”

Higdon’s girlfriend was named Teresa Solano Ventura. She spoke through an interpreter. One report said she said she was not aware Higdon carried a gun in his car. She also said Higdon threatened to kill himself, not his supervisor, and Abby Valasquez translated: “He said to her that he was going to kill himself.”

Ventura, described as sharing an apartment with Higdon, said she found out he was dead early Wednesday morning when she turned on the news and said: “I cried.”

The plant employed about 160 people and made parts for refrigerators and plastic siding for homes. Atlantis Plastics was described as a leading U.S. manufacturer of three kinds of products: polyethylene stretch films for wrapping pallets of materials, custom films for industrial and packaging uses and molded plastic pieces used in products such as appliances and recreational vehicles. The company had annual sales of $110 million, according to business directory Hoovers.

A man described as the 911 caller said: “There’s more than two people dead. There’s like one, two, three, four, five people dead,” and “The supervisor is dead, too.” The caller also said: “Yeah, there is people alive. One is breathing.”

Police said the first shooting took place as the supervisor was escorting Higdon from the building, and other co-workers were shot in the break room and on the plant floor.

A witness who hid behind a wall said: “When I heard the gunshots, I thought it was something electrical,” and “When I peeked back out, I saw (him) lying there dead.”