Former Employee Opens Fire at Linen Company: Two Workers Killed, Three Injured

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said the gunman fled after the incident but was soon captured in a traffic stop. The shooter's name has not been released. Earlier statements had said he was a former employee.

Symbolic picture.

At least two people were killed and three others were injured in the shooting of a former employee at a linen company on Wednesday near Philadelphia, the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania. An employee opened fire at a linen company near Philadelphia on Wednesday, killing two co-workers and wounding three others, authorities said.

The shooting occurred at about 8:30 a.m. in the Delaware County town of Chester, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) south of Philadelphia. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said the gunman fled after the incident but was soon captured in a traffic stop. The shooter's name has not been released. Earlier statements had said he was a former employee.

Decline in violent crime

Chester Mayor Stephen Roots said his small city has seen a decline in violent crime in recent years. Violence is always unexpected. We don't know what conditions people are in in poor cities like ours. Roots called on state lawmakers in Pennsylvania to address the gun crisis, especially as it relates to people with mental health problems.

Guns in the hands of the wrong people

Roots said that we cannot give guns into the hands of the wrong people. There must be some type of mental health issue that would cause an employee to go to their workplace on a work day and take out their anger in such a violent manner, not only on the boss but on their coworkers, with whom they worked side-by-side for years.

Shocking incident

Police said three people were hospitalized, at least one in critical condition. Residents said some activists had gathered on the steps of a church across the street, behind barriers set up by police, when the gunman opened fire. Police said that there is always peace here. We haven't had too many issues, so that's amazing.