Another Workplace Shooting

These are trying times. Someone said to me that people should keep a journal because these will be times that people will talk about. Well here I am talking once again about a workplace shooting.

Three people were killed Thursday after a hospital worker opened fire at a medical center, killing two of his supervisors before turning a gun on himself, officials said.

The gunman was identified as Mario Ramirez, 50, of Alhambra, a pharmacy technician and married father of four.

According to witness accounts, Ramirez went first to the pharmacy, near the emergency room and outpatient area, and fatally shot Bustamante, firing at least twice at his face. He then went in search of Hales, whom he confronted outside the emergency room.

The gunman shot Hales in the leg and, after he fell to the ground, "stood over him and shot him again," a witness said. Ramirez then put the gun to his own head but appeared to be wavering, she added.

Long Beach Memorial Medical Center officials identified the victims as Kelly Hales, 56, of Redondo Beach and Hugo Bustamante, 46, of Cypress.

This is a trend of active shooters that you have seen nationwide," Batts told a press conference. "This is becoming a national trend, probably because of the tension that's going on in our society today."

Hospital spokeswoman Stacie Crompton-Hime said the hospital did not have any plans for layoffs. The hospital, however, did have cutbacks in March, but Ramirez's job was not affected, she said.

"We have no plans for any additional cutbacks in the facility," she said.

Crompton-Hime could not say how long Ramirez had been with the hospital, but said he had no history of problems at work.

When I get a chance to take a break remind me to tell you about what's going on at another Georgia school district. Funny thing is that on the way home I was listening to the radio on the way home talked about how high the unemployment rate is and might become but he said, on the cheery side it's least it's not 25%. Happy Happy joy.

Tomorrow is the yard sale and we are working really hard on that. I don't know that I'll even get a chance to breathe.

Here are the blog contests, I've entered:

Prize: Kodak ESP-7 printer (ARV $199.99).

Prize: Exergen TemporalScanner thermometer.

Prize: Crayola prize pack (ARV $80).