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Wed 8 Oct, 2003 05:42 pm
Gunman's Mom Wants Worker Compensation
Wed Oct 8,
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - The mother of a man who killed three co-workers before shooting himself in a workplace rampage has asked the company to compensate her for her son's death because it occurred at work, the company said on Tuesday.
Modine Manufacturing Co. has turned down the request by Nina Tichelkamp-Russell, the mother of the 25-year-old gunman Jonathon Russell, company spokesman Mick Lucareli said. But the claim must still be reviewed by the state, he said.
Russell's mother filed a claim seeking death benefits under the workers' compensation system, which provides financial payments to injured workers or the families of workers killed on the job, Lucareli said.
Tichelkamp-Russell could not be reached for comment.
The company quickly approved the claims filed by the families of Russell's victims, but Modine has no intention of compensating the gunman's family, Lucareli said.
"This is probably an odd situation. It certainly caught us by surprise," he said.
Police said Russell brought a Glock semiautomatic handgun to work on the night shift at the plant near Jefferson City, Missouri on July 1. Police said Russell appeared to target certain colleagues as he walked from station to station spraying bullets.
A 44-year-old man and a 29-year-old man died on the plant floor, while a 42-year-old man died on the way to a hospital. Five others were taken to hospitals with injuries.
Russell shot and killed himself after an exchange of gunfire with police.
She won't be paid by Workers' Comp., as they'll be able to disclaim since the death wasn't due to actions taken in the ordinary course of business. The same result would be obtained if her son died during a shoot-out at a strip club on his lunch hour.
Here's another example of a person trying to freeload off the government. Is it any wonder that our taxes are so high?
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