4 workers shot at Indiana business that employs disabled people; co-worker arrested

Thursday, January 11th 2007, 8:46 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ A man shot and wounded four co-workers Thursday morning at a manufacturing business that employs disabled people, telling police he shot them over respect, police said.

Two men and two women were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, said Police Lt. Douglas Scheffel.

A 24-year-old armed employee was arrested inside the business, said Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Michael Spears. When officers asked him why he shot the workers, he said ``it was over respect,'' Scheffel said.

Three of the workers were shot in the cafeteria, the fourth in an office area of Crossroads Industrial Services, police said.

The company, a division of an Easter Seals program, has about 100 employees who do light manufacturing, such as making identification tags for military vehicles as part of a contract with the U.S. Army, said Candy Morrison, director of marketing.

About 85 percent of workers have physical or developmental disabilities, she said.

Police did not know if the suspect has a disability.

Jack Thompson, a 21-year employee, said he was coming out of the bathroom when he heard nine shots and saw a man with a gun walk down a hallway.

``I heard first screaming and then shooting and more shooting,'' he said.