A FedEx employee described the man accused of shooting six other employees as looking "like he was heading to war."
Cobb County police confirmed that Geddy Kramer, 19, is suspected in the shooting.
Cobb County police say the man walked into the FedEx warehouse on Airport Road early Tuesday morning and opened fire. He wounded six people, including security guard Christopher Sparkman. Sparkman was shot at close range in the chest. Police believe the shooter then took his own life.
As of Wednesday morning, Sparkman remained in critical condition. Two victims, a 52-year-old woman and 22-year-old man remain in stable condition at WellStar Kennestone Hospital. The other three victims have been released.
Tuesday night, Channel 2's Rachel Stockman talked to Sparkman's pastor, Richard Hemphill, who was by the family's side all day. He recently married Sparkman and his wife.
"In fact, Chris called his wife himself, and said, 'I've been shot,'" Hemphill said. "She even heard him giving instructions in the ambulance."
Hemphill said Sparkman served as an air traffic controller in the Army, recently getting back from Kuwait.
"He just got an offer with the FAA in New Mexico. He was just picking up an extra job to pay the bills," Hemphill said.
Tuesday afternoon, police said a sweep of the facility found multiple explosive devices. Channel 2's Dave Huddleston learned that agents searched the 500,000-square-foot facility three times.
Liza Aiken said she was standing at her work station when she heard a clinking sound behind her. She said when she turned, she saw the shooter standing there dressed in combat gear, and he had dropped a foot-long knife.
"I saw him standing there, and the knife was on the ground," said Aiken. "He had bullets across his chest. I mean, he looked like he was heading into war."
Aiken described the shooter as wearing black clothes with a camouflage vest, a shoulder ammo belt, a knife and an assault rifle. Doctors said the victims' wounds were from a shotgun.
"As soon as I saw him, I ran and made sure that people upstairs were gone," said Aiken. "I ran down toward the other end of the warehouse yelling at everybody to go. I didn't look back. As soon as I ran, I didn't look back."
Aiken wonders if a run-in she had with the shooter last week may have sparked or helped sparked Tuesday's mass shooting. She said Kramer, an employee, kept flashing a laser scanner into her eyes until she warned him she would report him to management.
"He kept scanning in my eye with it, which is a laser, and you don't want that stuff in your eyes," Aiken said. "So I threatened to report him, and he did it again, so I told management."
So far, police have not released a motive for the shooting.
One FedEx employee told Huddleston the shooting is likely on video.
"You walk in and you have to scan in and then they have a guard checking your bags and you have to walk through a metal detector. Most time there are two guards there or three and it's all on video tape," he said.
Aiken said she knew one of the victims and hopes she recovers soon.
"I've worked here for seven years, and never, ever dreamed that something like this was going to happen," said Aiken.
"We can confirm that an incident occurred early Tuesday morning at a FedEx Ground facility in Kennesaw, Ga. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected, and with their families and friends. We are grateful for the assistance of law enforcement. The situation is now stabilized and we are focused on the needs of our team members and cooperating with the law enforcement investigation of this tragedy," FedEx told Channel 2 Action News.
Kramer's father, Scott, sent a statement to Channel 2 Action News Tuesday evening.
"First and foremost, our family would like to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims of this morning's tragedy and their families. Our prayers are for their complete and speedy recovery. Our thoughts are also with all the workers at FedEx who were affected by Geddy's actions. We make no excuses for his actions and are shocked and devastated by them. There really are no adequate words at a time like this. Our family would appreciate our privacy at this very difficult time," the statement said.
Stay with Channel 2 Action News for new details on the investigation into this shooting and updates on the victims.
Keep Reading
The Latest
