List of postal killings
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Postal killings in various countries resulted in fatalities that have occurred on the properties of postal systems or related issues/events. The main sections are divided by countries. Events are listed in chronological order.


Australia

* December 17, 1926,
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
: fired postal worker James Hannivan shot and wounded two employees at Adelaide General Post Office, before committing suicide by shooting himself in the head. * December 8, 1987,
Queen Street massacre The Queen Street massacre was a mass shooting which occurred on 8 December 1987 at Australia Post offices on 191 Queen Street in Melbourne, Victoria. University dropout Frank Vitkovic entered the building on the pretext of visiting a friend, ...
,
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
: Frank Vitkovic, former law student, entered an office building on Queen Street at 4:20 p.m. with the intent to murder a former school friend and kill as many people as possible before taking his own life. In the ensuing shooting spree eight people were killed and five injured. At around 4:30 p.m. after the gun was wrestled from him, he jumped to his death from the 11th floor. Vitkovic's former friend did not work for a postal department, but for a
credit union A credit union, a type of financial institution similar to a commercial bank, is a member-owned nonprofit financial cooperative. Credit unions generally provide services to members similar to retail banks, including deposit accounts, provis ...
that was a tenant of the building. Most of the other floors were occupied by the offices of
Australia Post Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation, is the government business enterprise that provides postal services in Australia. The head office of Australia Post is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, which also serves as a post ...
and most of the victims were Australia Post office workers.


Canada

* October 30, 1934,
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
: Rosaire Bilodeau, ex-carrier of the Quebec postal service, drove five of his family members out into the woods, in two trips, and killed them. He then took 8 shots at postmaster Morin, senior mail clerk Moïse Jolicoeur, and divisional superintendent Oscar Fiset, killing Jolicoeur.


Iran

* May 14, 2022, Ilam province: a former employee of the
Mostazafan Foundation The Mostazafan Foundation of Islamic Revolution ( fa, بنیاد مستضعفان انقلاب اسلامی) formerly Bonyad-e Mostazafan va Janbazan (Foundation of the Oppressed and Disabled or "MFJ") is a charitable ''bonyad'', or foundation, in ...
killed 3 workers and injured 5 more with a firearm. He later committed suicide.


United States

*August 13, 1970,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, California: Harry Sendrow, 54, a postal supervisor, was shot in the back three times by Alfred Kellum, 41, whom Sendrow had sent home for being intoxicated. Five hours later Kellum was found unconscious and arrested. Police officers said he appeared to be intoxicated. * March 22, 1975,
Gadsden, Alabama Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located on the Coosa River about northeast of Birmingham and southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolita ...
: Floyd Davidson, a 47-year-old postal employee, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Gadsden Postmaster James M. Ford and a postal tour superintendent, Eldred Curtis McDonald. *November 4, 1980,
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
, Louisiana: Curtis Collins, a disgruntled postal worker, shot and killed his supervisor and wounded a security guard with a high-powered rifle, in a second-floor office of a federal building near the Superdome. A postal employee said Collins had received a letter of reprimand from the supervisor and slashed the tires on her car two days earlier. Collins was charged with murder and attempted murder. * August 19, 1983, Johnston, South Carolina: Perry Smith, a resigned
USPS The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...
employee, charged into the Johnston post office with a 12-gauge shotgun and began firing at workers in a hall, killing the
postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
and wounding two other employees. * December 2, 1983,
Anniston, Alabama Anniston is the county seat of Calhoun County in Alabama and is one of two urban centers/principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 23,106. Ac ...
: James Brooks, 53, entered the Anniston, Alabama post office with a .38-caliber pistol, killing the postmaster. Brooks then pursued his supervisor up the stairs and shot him twice, injuring him.Musacco, Stephen: ''Beyond Going Postal''. BookSurge Publishing 2009, * March 6, 1985,
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
, Georgia: Steven Brownlee, a 12-year veteran of the postal service, opened fire on the night shift in the Atlanta main post office with a .22-caliber pistol, killing a supervisor and a coworker and wounding another coworker in a mail sorting area. * November 15, 1985,
Manitou, Oklahoma Manitou is a town in Tillman County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 181 at the 2010 census. It includes the former town of Siboney, absorbed on January 28, 1908 Geography Manitou is located at (34.507930, -98.980859). According t ...
: Forrest Albert Reffner, 39, was at the Manitou post office to check his elderly mother's mail when 74-year-old Arvell "Pete" Conner, armed with a .38-caliber, began arguing with Reffner before shooting and killing him inside the main post office. * August 20, 1986,
Edmond, Oklahoma Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. The population was 94,428 according to the 2020 United States Census, making it the fifth largest c ...
: Patrick Sherrill, a part-time letter carrier, fatally shot 14 employees and wounded six at the Edmond post office. He subsequently committed suicide. This is the deadliest workplace shooting in US history and gave rise to the American phrase " going postal". * December 14, 1988, New Orleans, Louisiana: Warren Murphy entered the New Orleans postal facility with a 12-gauge shotgun hidden under his clothing. Later, during his work shift, after an incident with a supervisor, he reportedly went to the men's room and came out brandishing the shotgun. He then fatally shot his supervisor in the face. The fired shot reportedly wounded two other employees. After the shooting, he held his ex-girlfriend hostage. Two FBI SWAT agents were also reportedly wounded upon finding Warren Murphy in a supervisor's office. He eventually surrendered to the agents. * August 10, 1989,
Escondido, California Escondido is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. Located in the North County region, it was incorporated in 1888, and is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. It has a population of 151,038 as of the 2020 census. Ety ...
: John Merlin Taylor killed his wife, then two colleagues and himself at Orange Glen post office. * October 10, 1991: Ex-postal worker Joseph M. Harris killed his ex-supervisor and her boyfriend at their home in Wayne, New Jersey, then killed two former colleagues as they arrived at the
Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 24,958,Today in Rotten History", Harris was initially armed with an Uzi,
grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade ge ...
s and a " samurai sword", and was later arrested after a 4½-hour standoff with police, garbed in a ninja's outfit and
gas mask A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mas ...
. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. * November 14, 1991, Royal Oak, Michigan: In the Royal Oak post office shootings, fired postal worker Thomas McIlvane killed four and wounded five before killing himself. * June 3, 1992,
Citrus Heights Citrus Heights is a city in Sacramento County, California. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 87,583, up from 83,301 at the 2010 U.S. Census. History Citrus Heights voters approved the measure to incorporate the City on No ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
: Roy Barnes, a 60-year-old employee, went to the workroom floor at the Citrus Heights post office armed with a .22-caliber pistol and fatally shot himself in the heart in front of his coworkers. * May 6, 1993,
Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 109,976. Dearborn is the seventh most-populated city in Michigan and is home to the largest Muslim population in the United States per ...
: Postal worker Larry Jasion killed one and wounded three others before killing himself at a post office garage. * May 6, 1993,
Dana Point, California Dana Point () is a city located in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 33,107 at the 2020 census. It has one of the few harbors along the Orange County coast, and with ready access via California State Route 1, ...
: Mark Richard Hilbun, a former postal employee, killed his mother and her dog in their home. He then made his way to the post facility where he used to work and shot two postal workers, killing one and injuring the other. It was the beginning of a three-day rampage in which he injured several other people, prompted by Hilbun's dismissal for stalking another co-worker. * May 4, 1994,
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, Pennsylvania: Postal employee James A. Paulano was accidentally killed in a drive-by shooting. * March 21, 1995,
Montclair, New Jersey Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. ...
: Christopher Green, a former postal employee, killed four people, including two employees, and wounded a fifth at the Fairfield Street branch post office. While this is a postal killing, the primary motivation appears to have been debt payment, and there was no indication that the former employee was mentally disturbed as a result of his former postal work. * July 10, 1995,
City of Industry City of Industry is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is almost entirely industrial, containing over 3,000 businesses employing 67,000 people, with only 264 residents as of t ...
, California: 25-year postal clerk Bruce Clark punched his supervisor in the back of the head following an argument at the City of Industry mail processing center and left the work area. About ten minutes later, he returned with a brown paper bag. Upon being asked by his supervisor what was in the bag, Clark reportedly pulled out a .38 revolver and shot the supervisor twice at close range, once in the upper body and once in the face, killing him. Two employees reportedly took the gun away from Clark and held him until police arrived. Seventy-five postal employees reportedly witnessed the shooting. * December 19, 1996,
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, Nevada: Former employee Charles Jennings went to the parking lot at the Las Vegas postal facility and fatally shot a labor relations specialist. Mr. Jennings reportedly indicated in his statement to investigators that the victim struggled to take the gun away from him and was shot in the process. * September 2, 1997,
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which ...
, Florida: 21-year postal employee Jesus Antonio Tamayo shot his ex-wife and friend, who were waiting in line, then killed himself. * December 20, 1997,
Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
, Wisconsin: Anthony Deculit killed a coworker and wounded a supervisor and another coworker with a 9 mm pistol before killing himself. * January 30, 2006, Goleta, California: Former mail processor Jennifer San Marco, 44, killed six employees (five immediately, another died later). A seventh victim, a former neighbor, was killed first. San Marco committed
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...
at the sorting facility. * April 4, 2006, Baker City,
Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
: While on duty, Grant Gallaher, a letter carrier for 13 years, reportedly went home and got his .357 Magnum revolver and drove to the city post office with the intention of killing the postmaster. Arriving at the parking lot, he ran over his supervisor several times. After unsuccessfully searching the building for the postmaster, he returned to the parking lot and shot his supervisor several times at close range, ostensibly to ensure she was dead. He reportedly then fired three bullets at the windshield of her car and three more into the hood. * November 28, 2006,
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
, California: 39-year-old Julius Kevin Tartt, an 18-year employee working at the Napoleon Street Carrier Annex in San Francisco, went to his supervisor's residence armed with a revolver and shot her in the back of the head outside her house. He then reportedly left the scene and fatally shot himself in the head the following day. Early in the investigation, homicide investigators examined disputes between Tartt and his supervisor, including what one police official referred to as a discipline issue. A homicide official stated that there were indications that Tartt was dissatisfied with work and with the supervisor. * April 29, 2014,
Kennesaw, Georgia Kennesaw is a suburban city northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County, Georgia, United States, located within the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. Known from its original settlement in the 1830s until 1887 as Big Shanty, it became Kennesaw under its 1 ...
: Geddy Kramer, 19, shot and wounded six coworkers at a
FedEx FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
facility with a 5-shot,
12-gauge The gauge (or commonly bore in British English) of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the inner diameter (bore diameter) of the barrel. Gauge is determined from the weight of a solid sphere of lead that will fit the bore of the f ...
Mossberg 930 Security
semi-automatic shotgun A semi-automatic shotgun is a repeating shotgun with a semi-automatic action, i.e. capable of automatically chambering a new shell after each firing, but requires individual trigger-pull to manually actuate each shot. Semi-automatic shotguns ...
before committing suicide. * March 23, 2017,
Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the seat of Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs/lenape-villages.pdf It is located in ...
: A suspect who had been involved in a police pursuit was shot by police after crashing through a post office gate, then driving towards police officers. * June 14, 2017, San Francisco, California: 38-year-old employee Jimmy Lam killed 3 coworkers at a UPS facility before killing himself as police arrived. Two others were shot and injured, and three were wounded indirectly. * December 23, 2017,
Dublin, Ohio Dublin is a city in Franklin, Delaware and Union counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 49,328 in the 2020 census with a census estimate of 49,037 in 2019. Dublin is a suburb of Columbus. The city of Dublin hosts the yearly ...
: 24-year-old DeShaune Stewart, in response to his pending dismissal, shot and killed his supervisor and then shoved the postmaster to the ground in a parking lot, causing fatal head trauma. * April 15, 2021,
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
, Indiana: 19-year-old Brandon Scott Hole killed eight of his former coworkers at a
FedEx FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
facility before committing suicide. * October 12, 2021,
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...
28-year-old Johntra Haley, a USPS city carrier assistant, killed two of his coworkers and himself at the USPS East Lamar carrier annex facility. * October 20, 2022,
Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...
: 27-year-old Brian Simmons, a USPS worker, shot and killed his supervisor. Simmons then fled the scene and crashed into a nail salon and Fedex. Simmons was found dead inside of his crashed truck from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.


See also

* Going postal * Son of Sam


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Postal Killings Mass shootings United States Postal Service Postal killings Killings