TOLEDO -- Police have now released more details behind the deadly shooting at Jeep's Toledo North Assembly Plant. 54-year-old Myles Meyers shot three people before turning his double-barrel shotgun on himself. The incident left one person dead, two wounded, and Meyers himself dead.
Toledo Police Captain Ron Spann said the incident began at 8:34pm when Meyers used his access card to get into the plant in north Toledo. Meyers had apparently strapped a shotgun to his body and carried it into the plant. Meyers then went to an office in the paint shop area of the plant, and confronted Yiesha Martin, 27, who worked there.
Spann says Meyers pointed the shotgun at Martin's head, and forced her to call two supervisors on a two-way radio and ask them to come to the office.
45-year-old Michael Toney and 50-year-old Roy Thacker drove up minutes later on a golf cart. At that point, Meyers pointed the shotgun and fired, hitting Thacker in the left side and Toney in the right arm. Police say there were no words exchanged between the men.
Thacker staggered out of the office and collapsed outside. Toney got away from the office. Meyer continued outside in the hall, shooting 41-year-old Paul Medlen who happened to be outside. He then reloaded his shotgun, went to a nearby cubicle, sat down in a chair, and shot himself in the head.
Police say Medlen was not a supervisor at the plant.
Spann called Martin a hero for trying to warn Toney and Thacker about the gun, and also for screaming over the two-way radio to warn other employees to stay away from the area. She was not hurt.
All three shooting victims were taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in central Toledo. Thacker died in the hospital a short time later. As of 10:30am Thursday, Medlen was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit, and Toney was listed in fair condition with an arm wound.
Meyers also asked Martin to call a third supervisor on the radio before the shooting, but that person was either not in the plant or not available, and was not injured.
The bomb squad was called when police noticed wires coming out from under Meyers' coat, apparently from a homemade wire sling he had used to conceal the shotgun. Police also said he had strapped a stuffed animal to the back of his neck as padding.
Toledo Police say they have gathered all the evidence they need from the plant, and since the suspect is dead, the homicide investigation should be closed within a couple of days after the final reports are written.
Spann also said Meyers had several rounds of ammunition with him. Meyers did not show up for work on Wednesday, and entered the plant just moments before the shooting.
Police say Meyers had an extensive criminal record, dating back to the 70's. Spann says Meyers' most recent arrest happened in December of 2004 in Tecumseh, Michigan, where officers arrested Meyers for possession of a dangerous drug. Spann did not know what kind of drug that was. The last time Toledo Police had encountered Meyers was back in 1981 for assault and disturbance. He had also been arrested back in the 70's for other charges.
DaimlerChrysler had a news briefing just after 12:30pm on Thursday. Frank Ewasyshyn, the Executive Vice President for Manufacturing, expressed the company's condolences to the families involved in the shooting. Ewasyshyn said Meyers was involved in a recent meeting regarding quality issues in his work area, but would not characterize Meyers as a disgruntled employee. The meeting was described as amicable.
Ewasyshyn went on to say that DaimlerChrysler is always concerned about its employees, and would work to ease concerns that some Jeep workers have raised about conditions in the plant.
Count on News 11 and wtol.com to have the new information as it comes in.
Updated 1:05pm, Thursday, January 27, 2005 by AEB
