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Employment Network News Violence and Death in the Workplace - America's Under Reported Story Seven killed at TRW's ESL Plant Published on 17 February 1988, BOSTON GLOBE GUNMAN FATALLY SHOOTS 7 AT CALIF. HIGH TECH PLANT SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- A former employee of a Silicon Valley defense contractor fatally shot seven persons yesterday and wounded five others at the company's offices, including a woman who had spurned him, authorities said. Police officials said the man, Richard Farley, 40 years old, surrendered late today after holding an unknown number of employees hostage at the facility operated by ESL Inc., a subsidiary of TRW Inc. Early reports were that three people were killed in the fusillade of shots fired at the complex but later The Associated Press quoted Alex Michaelis, commander of the Sunnyvale Public Service Department as saying that seven people were dead. The victims were not immediately identified. The company, situated in the heart of the high-technology industrial complex in the Santa Clara Valley, performs classified research and development for the Pentagon and several United States intelligence agencies. "When I heard the shots, I ran and hid under my desk," said Norma Kesler, one employee. "There were shots and shots and shots." Lieut. Tom Moore of the Sunnyvale Public Department, said that Mr. Farley had been discharged by the company about two years ago for a variety of infractions, including an accusation of sexual harassment involving Laura Black, an employee. Lieutenant Moore said it appeared that the target of Mr. Farley's fury was Ms. Black, who was taken to a nearby hospital with what authorities described as a serious wound in her shoulder. Lieutenant Moore said Mr. Farley had been pressing his affections on Ms. Black for several months before his discharge. After he left the company, he said, Mr. Farley sent threatening letters to her as he tried to persuade her to date him. At other times, Lieutenant Moore said, he followed and waited for her in the company's parking lot. Had Sought Court Order Lieutenant Moore said the Ms. Black told friends she was worried about Mr. Farley and had sought a court order to prevent him from further harassing her. "He was terrorizing her," Lieutenant Moore said. The company employees about 2,200 workers. Among other things, ESL develops hardware and computer software for American reconnaissance satellites and other intelligence-gathering systems. Lieutenant Moore said that Mr. Farley entered the building this afternoon carrying a shotgun and a 30-06 rifle with a telescopic sight. Although there were conflicting reports of what happened next, employees said he shot Ms. Black and then appeared to fire indiscriminately at other employees he encountered. Police officials said that they had searched a motor home that they said belonged to Mr. Farley and had found numerous other weapons, ammunition and incendiary devices. They negotiated via the telephone with Mr. Farley, who allowed paramedics to enter a portion of the building to retrieve injured employees |
