The family of the gunman who killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis on Thursday night is apologizing as more is being lea...
The family of the gunman who killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis on Thursday night is apologizing as more is being learned of the victims.
Ex-employee Brandon Scott Hole, 19, was armed with two assault rifles when he walked into the facility where 100 people were at work and opened fire.
Eight people were killed and another seven were injured in the incident, before Hole turned the gun on himself.
Police say the teen had bought both weapons legally last summer despite being placed on a mental health after his mom reported him to the authorities over fears he wanted to commit suicide by cop.
His family claims that they tried to get Hole help prior to Thursday's tragic shooting, for which no motive has yet been given.
'We are devastated at the loss of life caused as a result of Brandon’s actions; through the love of his family, we tried to get him the help he needed,' the family said on a statement to the Indianapolis Star on Saturday.
'Our sincerest and most heartfelt apologies go out to the victims of this senseless tragedy,' the statement continues. 'We are so sorry for the pain and hurt being felt by their families and the entire Indianapolis community.'
Pictured: A body taken Friday from the scene of the shooting at a FedEx facility on Thursday
In March 2020, Hole was placed under a mental health temporary hold after his mom called the authorities over fears he was suicidal and wanted to die by cop. Additionally, a shotgun was removed from his home.
According to WTHR, the FBI claimed they interviewed Hole in April.
'Based on items observed in the suspect’s bedroom at that time, he was interviewed by the FBI in April 2020,' said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan.
'No Racially Motivated Violent Extremism (RMVE) ideology was identified during the course of the assessment and no criminal violation was found. The shotgun was not returned to the suspect.'
Yet the police revealed on Saturday night that Hole was able to purchase two assault rifles used in the incident in July and September 2020, with both purchases made after the March hold.
Hole died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following the shooting at the FedEx facility on Thursday night.
Since Thursday night, all eight of the victims who have died have been identified.
Amarjit Sekhon, 48, (left) was a mother of two boys, 22 and 16, and a member of the Sikh community, Jasvinder Kaur, 50, (right) moved to the U.S. in 2018 and had two children, a daughter and a son
Pictured: Jaswinder Singh, 68, and Samaria Blackwell, 19, one of the youngest victims
Amarjit Sekhon, 48, was a mother of two boys, 22 and 16, and a member of the Sikh community.
She only began working at the FedEx facility in November. She previously worked at a bakery.
'She was a workaholic, she always was working, working,' her brother-in-law, Kuldip Sekhon, said to the Associated Press.
'She would never sit still...the other day she had the shot and she was really sick, but she still went to work.'
Jasvinder Kaur, 50, moved to the United States in 2018 and also had two children, a daughter and a son.
According to the Indianapolis Star, she sent money from her job to India, where her son was still located.
Rimpi Girn, her daughter's brother-in-law, said that she wanted to switch from the night shift to the day shift.
Jaswinder Singh was 68 years old. He was also a member of the Sikh community, according to ABC7 Chicago.
'He had started working at the facility a few days ago and we are told that he had gone there to collect his payment when the shooting occurred,' Jatinder Singh, his son, told The Hindustan Times.
Samaria Blackwell, 19, was one of the youngest victims of the eight. She only began working at the FedEx facility two months ago and had aspirations of being a police officer.
'As an intelligent, straight-A student, Samaria could have done anything she chose to put her mind to, and because she loved helping people, she dreamed of becoming a police officer,' her parents said in a statement Saturdya.
'Although that dream has been cut short, we believe that right now she is rejoicing in heaven with her Savior.'
John Weisert, 74, was the oldest victim in the Thursday night shooting
Pictured: Karli Smith, 19, who had contact with her family before the shooting, and Matthew R. Alexander, 32, who was a former student at Butler University
Amarjeet Kaur Johal, 66, was a member of the Sikh community, as well as a grandmother
John Weisert, 74, was the oldest victim in Thursday night's massacre. He had worked at the FedEx facility for around four years.
He was working as a part-time package handler when he was killed after his shift came to an end.
'My dad's life was senselessly and needlessly cut short by a sick, depraved human being out for revenge against a former employer. I don't understand and will never understand the reason for this kind of random violence,' Mike Weisert wrote about his father on Facebook.
'He was a GOOD man. He was a great father. He was a wonderfully devoted and faithful husband of almost 50 years to my mom. And he was a man who worked very hard throughout his life to provide the best home he possibly could for his family.'
Karli Smith, 19, contacted her family at 10:59pm according to a Facebook post, but did not survive the shooting.
'She was a lovely, beautiful and youthful teenage girl,' a family member said to the Indianapolis Star.
'She had just started to buckle down and get a job and take life a little more serious.'
Matthew R. Alexander, 32, was a former student at Butler University, according to the school.
'The Butler community is mourning the loss of Matthew Alexander,' the university said in a statement on Twitter.
'We want to extend our deepest sympathies to Matthew's friends and families during this time of great sorrow.'
Amarjeet Kaur Johal, 66, was also a member of the Sikh community, as well as a grandmother.
She originally chose to work a double-shift on Thursday, before changing her mind. She had a check in her hand when she was found, according to her grandson's Twitter account.
'I am heartbroken to confirm that my nanjii (maternal grandmother), Amarjeet Kaur Johal, is among those killed in the senseless shooting at the FedEx facility in Indianapolis,' her grandson tweeted.
'We are still working to identify others who were injured and killed on Thursday night,' he continued. 'I have several family members who work at the particular facility and are traumatized. My nani, my family and our families should not feel unsafe at work, at their place of worship, or anywhere. Enough is enough — our community has been through enough trauma.'
Mourners gathered at a vigil for the victims at Olivet Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday
A woman reacts during the vigil on Saturday afternoon, with another scheduled for later
The vigil was emotional for many, with at least one victim's family member present
On Saturday, vigils were held for the victims of the shooting.
One was held at the Olivet Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday afternoon, according to the Indianapolis Star.
'I wanted to show solidarity in our community, because we’re tired,' said DeAndra Dycus, a member of Purpose 4 My Pain, a support group for people affected by gun violence.
'Enough is enough. And I wanted families who have been impacted by gun violence to know their community is here to support them.'
'She was the most amiable in the family, most diligent, dedicated,' a family member told CNN about one of the victims.
'Today we were supposed to have a big celebration, but now we are mourning, we are in grief.'
Another woman said, 'We lost two family members in one day. It’s completely devastating for us. We never expected something like this to happen.
'We read about gun violence every single day. It’s not acceptable anymore. Something needs to be done about it. Our government, everyone, we need to do something about this.'
Around 50 people attended the vigil, with another planned for Saturday evening.
FedEx have confirmed that Hole was a former employee who last worked for them in 2020. Hole's family told Fox59 that he had previously been fired but it was not immediately clear when.
Hole's stepsister, who did not want to be identified, described him as 'isolated' and said their father died by suicide in 2004, she told NewsNation affiliate WXIN-TV.
'We do have a lot of mental illness in our family and he never got the help that he needed,' she said.
Families were forced to wait over the course of Friday for identifications on the victims to be made.
'Chaplains and Victims Assistance Unit have remained at the family reunification center, providing support to survivors and families throughout the night and into today,' police said in a press release on Friday.
Pictured: The scene outside of the FedEx facility where the shooting happened on Thursday
Pictured: A woman talking to law enforcement outside of the FedEx facility on Thursday
Employees have detailed their accounts of the rampage, with one employee. Levi Miller, telling NBC's Today that he heard more than a dozen shots before he saw the hooded gunman screaming and firing.
'I stand up, I see a man, a hooded figure,' he said. 'I was unable to see his face in detail. However, the man did have an AR in his hand, and he started shouting and then he started firing at random directions.'
Miller said he didn't recognize the gunman but colleagues had said he was a 'well-known worker at this facility.' He said it was possible the gunman was trying to target the manager.
President Joe Biden was among those who weighed in during the aftermath of the shooting.
'While we await critical details about the shooting, its motivation, and other key information, once again, I have the solemn duty of ordering the flag lowered at half-staff at the White House, public buildings and grounds, and military posts and embassies, just two weeks after I gave the last such order,' he said in a statement.
'Last night and into the morning in Indianapolis, yet again families had to wait to hear word about the fate of their loved ones. What a cruel wait and fate that has become too normal and happens every day somewhere in our nation,' Biden said.
'Gun violence is an epidemic in America. But we should not accept it. We must act.'
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