Background
Sherrill was a relief carrier, meaning he was often required to work alternate routes on different days, a position dictated by his rank on the seniority list. His lack of a permanently assigned route meant that he lacked the same job stability as other USPS workers. Opinions vary concerning his job performance. Some reports portray him as an erratic, irritable worker; others claim he performed well and was being badgered by management. In any case, on the afternoon of August 19, 1986, supervisors Esser and Bland reprimanded Sherrill for his behavior.Shooting
Shortly after 7:00 a.m. on August 20th, 1986, Patrick Sherrill killed Richard Esser, Jr., one of two supervisors who had verbally disciplined him the previous day. Sherrill then sought out Bill Bland, another supervisor who had reprimanded him. However, Bland had overslept that morning and arrived an hour late to work, by which time the shootings were already over. Not finding Bland, Sherrill then killed co-worker Paul Michael Rockne. Around 100 workers occupied the small facility at the time of the attack. Fourteen people died at the scene, and six others received wounds requiring hospitalization. The day's violence ended when Sherrill shot himself in the forehead.Victims
Fourteen people were killed in the shooting, while six others were injured. The victims were: ;Killed * Patricia Ann Chambers, 41, part-time clerk * Judy Stephens Denney, 41, part-time clerk * Richard C. Esser Jr., 38, supervisor * Patricia A. Gabbard, 47, clerk * Jonna Ruth Gragert, 30, clerk * Patty Jean Husband, 48, supervisor * Betty Ann Jarred, 34, clerk * William F. Miller, 30, rural carrier * Kenneth W. Morey, 49, rural carrier * Leroy Orrin Phillips, 42, rural carrier * Jerry Ralph Pyle, 51, rural carrier * Paul Michael Rockne, 33, letter carrier * Thomas Wade Shader Jr., 31, part-time clerk * Patti Lou Welch, 27, clerk ;Injured * William Nimmo * Gene Bray * Michael H. Bigler * Steve Vick * Judy Walker * Joyce IngramMemorial
The Yellow Ribbon Memorial is a commemorative outdoor structure dedicated to the victims of the Edmond, Oklahoma, Post Office Shooting. Dedicated on May 29, 1989, it is located outside the post office's main entry to the south. The memorial contains the bronze statue of a man and a woman standing atop the fountain's center base and holding the ribbon of which the bow is attached to the base. To represent the fourteen victims killed in the shooting, the fountain contains fourteen water jets and a plaque on the front of the base listing their names. IAS OK000160. The memorial was built by the Edmond community and the United States Postal Services; the statue was created by sculptor Richard Muno (1939–2015). Community members have gathered at the memorial to commemorate the victims, especially on the 25th (2011) and 30th (2016) anniversaries. The memorial was surveyed in May 1996 as "well maintained". categorized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Over the years, the memorial slowly deteriorated with apparent "cracks in the concrete". Throughout the early 2010s, operations of the fountain were halted for, according to USPS, "a damaged water supply line". As of 2016, the fountain still operates seasonally.Perpetrator
Patrick Henry Sherrill (November 13, 1941 – August 20, 1986) was born in Watonga, Oklahoma, and had served in the United States Marine Corps. He was considered an expert marksman and was a member of a National Guard (United States), National Guard pistol team.Subsequent postal shooting incidents
The 1986 Edmond incident was the first of several highly publicized postal shootings. * 1991, Ridgewood, New Jersey * 1991, Royal Oak, Michigan * 1993, Dearborn, Michigan * 1993, Dana Point, California * 1995, Montclair, New Jersey * 1997, Milwaukee, Wisconsin * 2006, Goleta postal facility shootings, Goleta, CaliforniaSee also
* Mass shootings in the United States * Gun violence in the United States * List of rampage killers (workplace killings) * Workplace violence ** Workplace aggression ** Workplace conflictFootnotes
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