Suspected shooter allegedly shot two victims, his supervisors, after meeting

Men walk towards a firetruck outside of Thomas & Betts Corporation where earlier today a shooting took place which left three dead in Athens, Tennessee on Thursday Sept. 22, 2016. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL)
Men walk towards a firetruck outside of Thomas & Betts Corporation where earlier today a shooting took place which left three dead in Athens, Tennessee on Thursday Sept. 22, 2016. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL)

UPDATE: The suspect shooter and two victims of a deadly attack at the Thomas and Betts Corp. plant in Athens, Tenn. were identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The two victims of the shooting were James Zotter, 44, and Sandra Cooley, 68. They are both from Athens. The suspected shooter was identified as Ricky Swafford, 45. He was an employee at the plant, Zotter and Cooler were his supervisors.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Swafford became upset at a meeting with his two supervisors, Zotter and Cooley. Swafford abruptly left the meeting and the building, and he returned a short time later.

He went to the office where the supervisors were and shot both of them.

When responding officers arrived, they found Swafford's body in a bathroom of the plant, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

No other employees were injured in the shooting incident.

The investigation remains active and ongoing by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Athens Police Department. They are being assisted by the McMinn County Sheriff and investigators with the 10th Judicial District.

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ATHENS, Tenn. - Three people are dead, including the suspected gunman, after an apparent double homicide and suicide Thursday afternoon at the Thomas and Betts Corp.

The first report of shots fired was called into dispatch at 4:16 p.m., and when authorities arrived at the Dennis Street location, they found a stream of employees pouring out the front door into the parking lot, away from the gunfire.

Police entered the building to clear it and found the victims shot to death inside. The suspected shooter was found in a bathroom, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No other injuries were reported.

The suspected shooter was a Thomas and Betts employee, but McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy and Athens Police Department Chief Chuck Ziegler were not able to say what his motive might have been for the shooting.

Ziegler said it appeared that a pistol had been used by the shooter, who opened fire near the front of the building before moving deep inside to the north end.

Authorities searched the building and proclaimed it secure about 40 minutes after the incident began, but by 7 p.m. investigators hadn't entered the building, as they were still occupied interviewing witnesses who were inside during the ordeal.

"This is one of those tragedies we see on TV all the time," said Ziegler, who is set to retire at the end of the year after 45 years of service. "Everyone is in shock.

"When the shock wears off, that's when it really hits you," he added.

The identities of the victims and suspect had not been released as of press time.

McMinn County High School, which is almost adjacent to the scene, was temporarily shut down while authorities cleared the scene, but everyone there was released after it was determined there was no longer an imminent threat.

Guy made clear that "Students were never in any danger."

Administrators with the company released a statement following the shooting saying, "Our loss is profound. The ABB family is shocked and saddened by the tragedy at our Thomas & Betts facility in Athens, Tennessee on Thursday afternoon.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families during this difficult time. We will have grief counselors available to all of our employees at the facility. ABB is working closely with authorities to cooperate and assist in their investigation."

Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731. Follow on Twitter @emmettgienapp.

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