‘Help me, I’ve been shot’: FedEx shooting replays in workers’ minds, distresses others in Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The family of FedEx workers are living a nightmare.
Employee Angel Warman summed it up Friday: “All we need right now is a lot of prayers because FedEx, that’s what we are. We’re a family and we need all the prayers we can because this is something we are not going to be able to get over.”
Warman said she hasn’t slept since Thursday night when a 19-year-old gunman from Indianapolis killed eight people at a FedEx facility.
She saw the gunman before he shot and killed himself.
“I walked all the way around to the sidewalk and, as I looked, I saw a man standing there with a long, black gun just shooting off like 10 to 15 rounds, and I ran back inside and I yelled and I told my workers to get in the bathroom and to lock the door and to stay in there, and I held the door closed because I didn’t know where the shooter was.”
Then she spotted a gunshot victim.
“As I’m looking, I see an older gentleman walking, screaming, ‘Help me, I’ve been shot,’” Warman said. “I ran out there. I grabbed him and I brought him inside the shack and, as I’m on the phone with 911, the other workers were in the bathroom trying to control the bleeding of the victim.”
The nightmare did not end there. Leaving the scene about a bus provided to take survivors from the shooting scene, she saw the death.
“There was a deceased body leaning right on my car right on the front of the passenger side when they were loading us onto the bus. I passed the truck and I (saw) the person laying on my car, and I don’t think I’ll ever drive my car again.”
Another FedEx employee, Christina Morgan said she prayed during the shooting that it would end and she could just go home and be with her babies.
“He (the shooter) did give me eye contact, which was very scary because when he went in the second time he was shooting toward me, but, instead of getting my car, he got the car that was blocking the end.”
Morgan added, “All I could hear was him shouting the whole time he was aiming his rifle and, like, I can see his whole face, and I don’t even want to visualize it, and it’s hard to talk about but you can tell he had a lot of anger toward someone.”
Reactions from 7 Indianapolis residents
Even Indianapolis residents with no connection to the FedEx shooting woke up to the news Friday morning and reacted with heartache, shock and disbelief.
“Eight people dead? That’s crazy. That is crazy,” said Tony McCloud.
Rachel Miller said, “Mind-blowing, again. You always, you never think it’s going to happen at home.” She added that she felt “pretty speechless, and a little bit numb and then angry.”
David Karnani said, “It hits home. It’s really scary, you know? You don’t know if someone that you know or are connected to could’ve potentially been hurt or lost their life there.”
Michael Johnson said his friend and his server at breakfast told him about the devastating news. “Honestly, it was really shock. For me I have two friends I knew that got jobs out there at that location. And, to me myself be in a warehouse location itself, it makes me very sad that things like that are still going on in our neighborhood.” He added that everyone should “know that there are people here who do care about you and do support you. We do hope for the best.”
Tanyeka Graves said that she would “just continue to pray and see how we can help.”
Charlie Walker said, “It’s devastating, but it’s starting to happen more and more. I believe it’s time for people to come back to the Lord.”
Tala Karnani said, “What’s wrong with our society? Why is this happening? What was the motive? Are the people OK?”
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Myers summed it up in a statement: “I am deeply saddened by the fear and loss felt by so many in our community after last night’s mass shooting. We know that the impact of violence spreads beyond the immediate families of those victimized. This fear can be deep and dividing, especially when violence is motivated by hate. I hope that now, as the nation’s attention is on Indianapolis, our community can stand together and take meaningful action violence and hate of any kind.”
Mental health resources
- NAMI Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Be Well Indiana Crisis Helpline: 211
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
