HENNING, Tenn. – The only people who know for certain what happened inside a small-town post office in West Tennessee are the two workers who were shot and killed and whoever pulled the trigger.
Federal, state and local authorities don’t know who did it – or why – and pleaded for the public’s help Tuesday for any clues that might help solve the case, offering a $50,000 reward.
The investigative team of more than 60 federal, state and local law enforcement officials have provided little information except that the attack happened soon after the post office opened for business Monday. Several two-door burgundy cars were stopped and searched Tuesday, their drivers learning from investigators that such a vehicle was involved in the shooting.
Yellow crime-scene tape roped off the one-story brick post office, and two large police command posts were set up in Henning, about 45 miles northeast of Memphis. A truck hoisted an investigator to the roof, where he combed for clues. Outside the post office, the flag had been lowered to half-staff Tuesday. Authorities haven’t announced a motive or arrests, but any suspects would face federal charges because the victims were U.S. government employees.
The Lauderdale County district attorney, Mike Dunavant, has said little except that the killings were done with “disturbing violence.”