Omar Thornton, Beer-Distributor Shooter, Complained Of 'Racist' Workplace In 911 Call After Massacre (AUDIO)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The man who went on a shooting rampage at a beer distributor calmly told a 911 operator that it was "a racist place" and that he had taken matters into his own hands and "handled the problem."

Omar Thornton, 34, called 911 after shooting 10 co-workers - eight fatally - on Tuesday morning at Hartford Distributors. He introduced himself as "the shooter over in Manchester" and said he was hiding in the building, but would not say where.

LISTEN:

"You probably want to know the reason why I shot this place up," he said, his voice steady. "This place is a racist place. They treat me bad over here. They treat all the black employees bad over here, too.

"So I took things into my own hands and handled the problem," he said. "I wish I got more of the people."

Connecticut State Police released the audio of the 911 call on Thursday, the same day company and union officials rebutted suggestions that the company had ignored Thornton's complaints of racism.

Thornton went on his rampage moments after he was forced to resign when confronted with videotaped evidence that he had been stealing beer and selling it.

His relatives and girlfriend had suggested his anger was fueled by racial bias in the workplace, but the 911 call confirmed Thornton believed he was avenging racist treatment.

Hartford Distributors president Ross Hollander said there was no record to support claims of "racial insensitivity" made through the internal anti-harassment policy, the union grievance process or state or federal agencies.

"Nonetheless, these ugly allegations have been raised and the company will cooperate with any investigation," Hollander said.

The union said 14 of 69 dock workers, or 20 percent, were racial minorities - four black, nine Hispanic, one Asian.

The 911 operator attempted to keep Thornton on the phone and to talk him into surrendering. Thornton said he would not give up his location in the building and knew police were looking for him.

"When they find me, that's when everything will be over," he said, assuring the operator he was not going to kill anyone else.

He then said he saw a SWAT team and hastened to get off the phone.

"Tell my people I love them and I gotta go now," he said.

Police found him dead with a gunshot wound to his head.

Comments

[Florida Dawg]

02:21 AM on 08/11/2010

The only racicst people in this story are Omar, his girlfriends and his relatives who even suggested this as a reason for gunning down 8 people. This monster destroyed the lives of
many over his own personal pettiness. Anyone who tries to "defend" any of his actions is a racist monster.

[BruntLIVE]

04:14 PM on 08/07/2010

Next!!!!!! If you are racist you have nothing to worry about....do you? LOL There is nothing more funny than scared racist white Americans. You are the problem, hiding in the shadows, doing your racist deed then standing there like nothing happened "who me?", well this was bound to happen and I hope more happens because it seems lawyers, laws, naacp, etc... are not working or take too long to work. Racism KILLS your soul, don't be surprised when karma reverses the concept.....literally. Remember this post is for racist only, if you not a racist no reason to respond because you already knew this right....

[chilifan]

12:42 AM on 08/09/2010

Why are you trying to instigate a race war? Who are you, Charles Manson?

[csula32001]

02:27 PM on 08/07/2010

Wow, the really sad part about this is that there's always going to be a shadow of doubt about the character of victims he killed. Do I think HDI is a racist organization? No! Do I think there are (were) racist individuals that worked there? Absolutely! Was Omar Thornton wrong for what he did? Without a doubt!

[Q45]

08:11 PM on 08/06/2010

FLINT, Mich. — Investigators say a knife-wielding serial killer has been attacking men on Flint-area streets since May, KILLING FIVE PEOPLE and wounding eight others in a vicious spate of violence that may be motivated by racial hatred.

"He then pulls a knife and attacks them without saying anything more"... Another Senseless Killings.

[JohnnyBlack]

06:08 PM on 08/06/2010

According to court papers, in 2000 at the age of 24 he filed for bankruptcy, owing a dozen creditors, including American Express and Sprint, a total of more than $15,000. Court filings cited by the New York Times show he counted as his possessions at the time just $250 worth of clothing and $600 in a checking account.

Although records show the bankruptcy case was resolved by April 2001, Thornton continued to be hounded by creditors. He also owed $2,500 in student loans, according to public records. On Tuesday, following the shooting rampage, one of his roommates reported that a creditor phoned their apartment seeking payment for a debt.

Although more details of Thornton’s financial situation at the time of his death are not immediately available, it is clear that the loss of his job at Hartford Distributors would have exacerbated an already tenuous situation.

[JohnnyBlack]

06:05 PM on 08/06/2010

EAST WINDSOR, Conn. -- East Windsor police arrested a woman who they said is connected to Hartford Distributors gunman, Omar Thornton.

Around 4 p.m. Friday, police arrested Christy Quail, 33, of Enfield, and charged with two counts of larceny. Police said Quail was caught on tape accepting beer kegs and cases from Thornton, the man who police said shot and killed eight people and then himself at Hartford Distributors on Tuesday after the company told him to resign or be fired for stealing beer while on his truck route.

[bgn3]

05:01 PM on 08/06/2010

can that be said "That is a racist code word monster"

Wow I didnt realize the other day watching the history channel when Hitler was being reffered to as a monster he was a victim of Racism. The things you learn in here

[Radioburning]

06:47 PM on 08/06/2010

Jeffrey Dahmer was called a monster. I wonder how he dealt with all that racism?

[Ohioan4truth]

01:38 PM on 08/06/2010

If some of these comments here do not lend support that racism exists here in the United States of America..........I don't know what hind of ecidence one would need to sway them to believe it does!

Lord Have Mercy!

[Ohioan4truth]

01:40 PM on 08/06/2010

kind of evidence....eyesight is not too good today....and that "zoom" on my computer seems to make my typos worse!

[JohnnyBlack]

05:51 PM on 08/06/2010

Any evidence at all. You are taking the unsubstantiated claims of the killer and the killer's girlfriend as some kind of proof. There is no evidence at all that this man faced "racial harassment" at his job.

[Blaq Ninja]

12:20 PM on 08/06/2010

The phone call is quite eerie. The state police operator is not to sharp. He had the opportunity to draw more information out of him. He clearly wanted to vent, while he was venting he wouldn't be killing people. The longer you keep him on the phone the better chance swat has of locating him with his guard down. What I just explained was basic police negotiation techniques not "monday morning quarterbacking".

[MrNCN]

12:04 PM on 08/06/2010

"`Nonetheless, these ugly allegations have been raised and the company will cooperate with any investigation,' Hollander said."

Correct answer Mr Hollander...

[guffman]

12:09 PM on 08/06/2010

You could barely see his lawyer's lips move when he made that statement.

[Ohioan4truth]

01:28 PM on 08/06/2010

Because when their lips move, you know they're lieing!

[hey0there]

11:17 AM on 08/06/2010

He faked the graffiti pics to shut the mom up who suggested if there was so much racism going on, he should take pics.

so he did -- more than likely on the back of a bathroom stall door, and not actually in the workplace but somewhere else.

that night he showed the 'evidence' to his girlfriend and then deleted them.

if these pics are ever recovered - and they may not be, but i cant imagine it is impossible - the surface they appear on wont be from the bathroom at his job.

he would have done it someplace he could scribble over and leave quickly when he was finished. i doubt he cleaned it off entirely and probably could still be found on the back of a restroom stall door at a gas station or fast food place on his delivery route or customary route he drove to where his girlfriend/home is

[guffman]

11:56 AM on 08/06/2010

You should notify the investigators of your breakthrough. This could bust the case wide open.

[Ohioan4truth]

01:43 PM on 08/06/2010

We have a magician here among us....and he can pull rabbits out of his......you should see where!

[SpreadingTheWealth]

11:14 AM on 08/06/2010

Just think what ONE person with a concealed carry permit at this place could have done to stop this monster.

[CANTHATBE]

11:19 AM on 08/06/2010

That is a racist code word monster. If he were white everyone would be trying to understand him like they did Timothy McVeigh.

[SpreadingTheWealth]

11:30 AM on 08/06/2010

When you kill 8 people, you're a monster. I draw no distinction between this guy and McVeigh.

You do really that the word "racism" no longer holds any meaning in society, don't you? Liberals have been crying wolf for the last 18 months.

[topkatnc]

12:38 PM on 08/06/2010

I hope you are kidding me .... do you think that white people understood McVeigh .... I understood him to be a murderer ...just like this guy is ... and this guy deserves just what McVeigh got ... Your comment is beyond belief ....

[gino618]

11:20 AM on 08/06/2010

I'm pro-2nd amendment, but your comment is misplaced for the simple reason that most employers aren't going to have their employees be allowed to carry weapons in the workplace anyway so CCW wouldn't apply.

[Danno 99]

11:13 AM on 08/06/2010

What if they check his phone and find those pictures and this backs up his story? What will everyone say then?

[CANTHATBE]

11:16 AM on 08/06/2010

They will find some other excuse. I bigot always does.

[GHO]

11:27 AM on 08/06/2010

I'll say the same thing I say now - there's no justification for him shooting 10 unarmed people. Period

[Ohioan4truth]

01:51 PM on 08/06/2010

Time and circumstance.
If I were to humiliate you every day for three years.....I mean really ride you......then put a gun on your hand......would you not be the least bit tempted to pull the trigger?

I agree with you, though. There is no excuse, but there may be extenuating circumstances that may push people to the breaking point. I'm sure of one thing.


Those that died were most likely not his best buddies or had shown kindness and love to him every day he went to work. I'll wager on that.

[dwill123]

11:13 AM on 08/06/2010

I'd like to see the video they claim to have of him stealing. When you're Black and a company doesn't want you there are ways to make a video without sound look like anything you want it to look like.

[inreasonsimage]

11:30 AM on 08/06/2010

I don't know the employment laws in Connecticut. But, the state I live in is an At-Will-Employment state and employers can fire employees whenever they want. They don't need an explanation or reason.

[Tidyus]

03:00 PM on 08/06/2010

Agreed. We should be able to see the video.

[inreasonsimage]

11:11 AM on 08/06/2010

Experiencing racism at work is NOT a justification for killing your co-workers.

[Tidyus]

03:04 PM on 08/06/2010

There are no justificatiuons for killing anyone except maybe self defense but that doesn't preclude trying to understand a situation in order to prevent it from happening .