In a tragic turn of events at a cosmetics warehouse in New Albany, Ohio, a second employee has lost their life due to a shooting incident. Additionally, four other employees are currently hospitalized, with the alleged perpetrator set to appear in court, as confirmed by the police on Thursday.
Authorities have refrained from providing detailed information regarding the latest fatality or the current status of the injured workers following the violent episode that transpired on Tuesday in New Albany, situated approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown Columbus. The initial shooting resulted in the unfortunate death of a worker within the warehouse premises.
The individual identified as Bruce Reginald Foster III, aged 28, is scheduled for arraignment on Thursday, as announced by New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones during a press briefing on Wednesday. Chief Jones mentioned that Foster has engaged in discussions with investigators but stopped short of describing his level of cooperation as complete.
As of Thursday morning, online court records in Licking County did not display the name of a defense attorney associated with Foster’s aggravated murder case. Moreover, attempts to reach Foster or a family member via two potential phone numbers proved unsuccessful on Wednesday.
Upon receiving reports of gunfire at the New Albany industrial park facility on Tuesday evening, law enforcement officers narrowly missed apprehending Foster as he fled the scene using a rideshare service, Chief Jones disclosed. Subsequently, police squads, complemented by drones and a K-9 unit, conducted a thorough search of the warehouse complex.
Chief Jones mentioned, “It appears that there was some form of interaction between a victim and the assailant,” further adding, “At this juncture, the extent and nature of this interaction remain unclear to us.”
Following the pursuit, Foster was located in an apartment in Columbus and taken into custody on Wednesday morning. Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Dan Deville revealed that a stun gun was employed to subdue Foster, who initially resisted surrendering to the authorities.
The distressing incident unfolded at the warehouse belonging to a company specializing in the production of cosmetics and personal care products. Around 150 employees working in the facility were evacuated to a nearby building for their safety during the crisis.
Chief Jones reflected on the absence of any prior indicators of conflict or distress involving the suspect at his workplace, stating, “No red flags were raised regarding any workplace issues or personal troubles concerning him.”
