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"I don't speak German." These were the words that 42-year-old Michael McDermott calmly told police on December 26, 2000. In the lobby of Edge-water Technology, surrounded by spent weapons and the bloody bodies of two of his coworkers, McDermott sat waiting for law enforcement. Minutes earlier the software tester had rampaged through the office building, unloading more than 55 rounds and savagely gunning down seven of his coworkers ("Workplace Shooting," 2002).
McDermott could easily be described as a "coworker from hell," seemingly unimaginable and yet terrifyingly real. His horrific crime represents a scenario that has played out in America many times over the past 30 years. Media accounts of these murder sprees lead the public to believe that crazed gunmen simply "snap" one day and erupt into an uncontrollable rage that is taken out on their coworkers. However, this portrait glosses over the truth that these workplace attacks are often the work of individuals who carefully plan, prepare for, and then execute their "revenge" on the coworkers and organizations that they believe are the root of their troubles.
While workplace violence is a real problem in the United States, less than 10% of work-related injuries and deaths are from worker-on-worker violence (Injury Prevention Research Center [IRPC], 2001). However, when these seemingly unpredictable crimes do occur they devastate organizations, terrorize workers, traumatize friends and family members, and often leave multiple victims. Yet, by understanding the characteristics that workplace killers tend to share, organizations can watch for and deal with potentially violent employees.
Profile of a Killer Coworker
While no profile can accurately describe every workplace killer or predict who will seek bloody revenge in a hail of bullets, many of those who commit "occupational homicide" share strikingly similar characteristics (see "Profile of a Workplace Killer"). The typical workplace killer is a middle-aged white man. He is a loner who owns one or more guns. His history of frustrating life experiences might include bouts of depression or mental illness, frequent job changes, and/or a litany of failed or disappointing relationships. As a worker he is chronically disgruntled, blaming others for his failures. He "knows" that his supervisors and coworkers are out to get him, undermining his efforts, sabotaging his work, or stealing the credit for his...