CHESTER, Pa. — Two employees of Delaware County Linen are dead and three others are hospitalized with gunshot wounds after a workplace shooting here around 8:30 Eastern this morning.
A “disgruntled employee” brought a handgun to the laundry in this suburb west-southwest of Philadelphia and “took out his anger” on co-workers, Delaware County (Pa.) District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced during a media briefing.
The suspect was arrested in the nearby city of Trainer when police executed a traffic stop after receiving a description of the suspect’s vehicle.
“This is a tragedy that plays out too often across the United States of America,” Stollsteimer says. “A disgruntled employee has walked into the linen shop, the Delaware County linen shop behind us, and shot five people, five co-workers.
“Two are deceased; three are at the hospital. They are in serious condition, and we are hopeful that they were able to survive.”
“We have the suspect in custody,” says Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky, “and we think at this point everybody in the community should recognize that we have a safe situation here. We are processing the crime scene.”
Delaware County Linen, founded in 1988, is described on its website as “a full-service family-grown company seeking to service and support local businesses.” It has grown substantially over the years, the site notes, and has expanded its services from southeast Pennsylvania to include locations in New Jersey, Delaware and northern Maryland.
It counts restaurants, country clubs, hotels, caterers, salons, spas, rehabilitation centers, colleges and universities among its customers.
This is a developing story. American Laundry News will share further details as they become available.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].