A community is reeling after a man was shot and killed inside a production plant. The sheriff said the shooting was an act of workplace violence.
On Friday morning, authorities said 18-year-old Camron Golden walked into the Dart Container, a food service manufacturer, and shot 42-year-old Taurus Andrews. He later died.
Dozens of officers swarmed the plant on Ga. 138 north of I-20 Authorities said just after 6 a.m. Several schools in the area were put on lockdown.
A spokesperson from Dart told Channel 2 Action News there were about 300 employees inside plant when the shooter opened fire, but they evacuated the building using a school bus to transport employees to a nearby church.
Just after noon, deputies said they arrested Golden at a bus station in Birmingham, Alabama.
Channel 2′s Tom Regan talked to Andrews’ family, who say he was just getting off his overnight shift when he was shot.
Andrews’ grandmother said she got the terrible news with a knock on her door.
“And it was the police, and they told me what happened,” said Lizzy Ruth Thomas.
Thomas raised Andrews, and said he was a good man.
“He was a good child. He never bothers nobody, ever,” Thomas said.
Another family member said if she could speak with the accused killer, she would tell him this:
“You ripped our family apart,” Melissa Moreland said. “That was a coward move and you need to be punished.”
Authorities said they do not yet have a motive for the shooting but said Golden was a temp service employee.
“We don’t even know if Mr. Andrews was a target. We don’t know if Mr. Golden was upset with Dart Container, or any particular person,” said Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett.
Court records from west Memphis, Arkansas show Golden was on probation after a drug and weapons arrest in July.
Authorities said that Golden recently relocated to Georgia from Arkansas.
Thomas said their faith and prayers will help them cope with their heartbreaking loss.
"He's in good hands, cause he was a good child,” Thomas said.
Dart Container sent its condolences to Andrews’ family. They say they will have counselors available for workers when the plant reopens.
Deputies said Golden will be charged with murder. He is in the process of being extradited to Georgia.