Shooting at Ohio manufacturing facility leaves 1 dead, 5 injured
A cosmetics manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio, was the scene of a shooting that left one employee dead and five workers injured. The incident occurred at the KDC/One plant on Smith's Mill Road late Tuesday night. ABC News is reporting that when police arrived on the scene, they discovered one victim inside the facility who was pronounced dead on the scene. The other victims were hospitalized, but their conditions remain unknown. The additional 150 employees at the plant were safely evacuated.
Greg Jones, the chief of the New Albany Police Department, told NBC News: “This is a heartbreaking and tragic situation. Our officers, alongside multiple agencies, responded swiftly to protect lives and secure the scene. We train for situations like this, and while it is something no community ever wants to face, we were prepared to act quickly and effectively. We will continue working to bring this situation to a full resolution.”
NBC4 is reporting that U.S. Marshals executed a search warrant and arrested Bruce Reginald Foster III early Wednesday morning. The suspect, who also worked at the factory, faces charges of aggravated murder, and bond has been set at $20 million.
According to USA Today, police described the suspect as an employee at the facility who had worked for several hours on Tuesday before he allegedly opened fire and fled the scene. There is no clear motive for the shooting, and police say that there were no reports of confrontations or disputes that may have led to the incident.
WKYC3 added that Foster left the scene of the crime before police arrived. Despite the fact that Foster doesn’t drive, camera footage showed the suspect getting into a car and leaving the area, but police were unable to identify the license plate number of the car.
According to ABC6, Foster is currently the only suspect. Police are describing the incident as a “targeted attack,” although it isn’t known who Foster may have been targeting. The handgun used in the attack was found at the scene.
KDC/One, which operates in the beauty, personal care, and home care industries, specializes in the ideation, formulation, design, packaging and manufacturing of various products. According to WBNS, KDC/One CEO Nick Whitley released a statement that read: “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred on February 4 at our New Albany, Ohio facility. Our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted and their families. The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority. We are actively assisting the New Albany Police Department in their ongoing investigation and are sincerely grateful for the swift action of our local authorities and first responders."
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
