Six die in shooting at Lockheed Martin plant
Five people were killed Tuesday morning at a Lockheed Martin Corp. aircraft subassembly plant in Meridian, Miss., by a gunman who then took his own life.
Five people were killed Tuesday morning at a Lockheed Martin Corp. aircraft subassembly plant in Meridian, Miss., by a gunman who then took his own life, according to the company and media reports.
Through a statement, Lockheed Martin officials said Tuesday afternoon that that an employee entered the plant at about 10 a.m. Central Time with a gun. At least five were killed and a number of others were wounded, the company said.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie told The Associated Press the gunman was carrying a shotgun and a semi-automatic weapon.
The names of the alleged gunman and the victims have not yet been released, pending notification of the next of kin, according to the company's statement.
Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., is the world's largest defense contractor. The company reported revenue of $26.6 billion in 2002, with 125,000 employees worldwide. The plant in Meridian makes parts for the C-130J Hercules and F-22 Raptor jets.