Police said a murder-suicide by a Kenyan refugee in Virginia Tuesday may be terrorism, although the investigation remains in its early stages.
(FOX)- Getachew Fekede opened fire at the FreightCar America factory in Roanoke where he used to work early Tuesday, killing a former co-worker before killing himself. Police said the 53-year-old entered the U.S. through a refugee immigration program and was fired by the company in March when he stopped showing up for work.
Neighbors said Fekede quit his job because he was being harassed by another man at work. They expressed disbelief that Fekede would commit such violence.
“Everybody was just shocked that he would do something like that,” said Frank Myers, who lives in the building where Fekede lived. “He had class. He had intelligence. He was just an exceptionally nice guy,” Myers said.
Clarence Jones, another man who lives in the building, called Fekede “the perfect neighbor.”
Police said Fekede rode a bicycle to the facility near downtown and somehow entered its paint shop. Officers received a call of shots fired at 6:02 a.m. and arrived two minutes later. But by that time, Fekede had fired 10 rounds from a 9 mm pistol, Roanoke Police Chief Tim Jones said.
The police chief also said Fekede entered the U.S. in 2011 through a refugee immigration program. He said the incident appeared to be work-related but the possibility of terrorism would be investigated. Authorities have already checked his Roanoke apartment as part of their investigation.
(Photo Credit: WFXR via Fox News)