Gunman kills two at Watkins dispatch office

A truck driver reportedly opened fire with two handguns November 6 at a dispatch office for Watkins Motor Lines, the parent company of refrigerated transporter Sunco Carriers Inc, in suburban Cincinnati OH. Two men were killed and three wounded before the assailant fled, authorities said.

Police arrested and charged former Watkins driver Tom West at an Indiana truckstop more than two hours later.

The employees in the office where the shooting took place did not know West, according to police.

Watkins officials released an official statement that said, in part: ÒMr West was an employee of Watkins Motor Lines from October 1998 through November 2001, at which time Mr West resigned from his over-the-road driving position in Atlanta GA. Please keep all of the Cincinnati families in your prayers during this extremely difficult time. Counselors from Crisis Management International are on site to help employees with this tragedy. There are approximately 313 employees at the Cincinnati location working between the over-the-road office, terminal, and maintenance employees.Ó