Ohio plant gunman described as a loner

By M.R. Kropko, Associated Press, 8/21/2003

ANDOVER, Ohio -- The man who opened fire at an auto parts factory, killing a co-worker and then himself, didn't socialize at work and lived with his parents, spending his free time shooting at targets, his mother said.

Ricky Shadle's parents said their 6-foot-2, 300-pound son had a learning disability, was teased his whole life, and always needed help filling out forms at work.

His mother, Rosalie Shadle, said her son tried to take vacation time, but filled out the request incorrectly. He did not know he was denied the vacation until a boss threatened to fire him if he did not return to work.

"He was so mad," she said.

Before shooting the three co-workers, killing a payroll clerk he was upset with, Shadle told his parents he had cancer. He was worried his right leg would need to be amputated because of a grapefruit-size growth.

"He told me he would shoot himself first," Rosalie Shadle said.

The shootings happened about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday at Andover Industries in the northeast Ohio village, Ashtabula County Sheriff Bill Johnson said.

Shadle, 32, had worked at the plant for about five years. He reported to work in the production area Tuesday with four guns, police said.

Witnesses said Shadle shot payroll clerk Theodora Mosley, 61, who died. Shadle then closed himself in a room and shot himself. Mosley's son, Jared Gordon, said he knew of no problems between Shadle and his mother, who had worked at the plant nine years.

"I just want to know why. How could someone walk into a plant with guns?" Gordon said. "This guy was probably mentally unstable, he shouldn't have been allowed in the plant, and he shot my mom in the back." Joyce Thompson Smith, 54, was in critical condition yesterday, while Sue Martin, 35, was in stable condition.

Police Chief Dan Vild said someone inside the plant of 700 workers called police during the gunfire. Shaken workers left the plant holding hands and crying.

Employees told officers Shadle did his job, but didn't mingle.

"He didn't get along like normal people would in a job setting, in other words, talking to people or something like that," the sheriff said.