A workplace shooting at a Penske truck rental facility in Kennesaw, Georgia, on January 12, 2010 left five people shot and three dead. Zachariah Werner (also spelled Warner in some reports), then 36, survived but sustained a bullet lodged in his brainstem that left him paralyzed, unable to breathe or eat without assistance, and able to communicate only by blinking or squeezing a hand. He remained bed-ridden and dependent on his wife Jodi and home health providers for care until his death on July 7, 2013 at age 39.

The shooter, former employee Jesse James Warren, entered the facility that afternoon and opened fire. He was arrested at the scene; officers recovered two firearms on him and later seized more than 120 weapons from his home. Warren reportedly held a delusional belief that Penske owed him $500 million and had a documented history of mental illness and psychiatric treatment. He faced multiple counts of murder and aggravated assault, and prosecutors initially sought the death penalty.

Werner and his wife filed a $20 million lawsuit against Penske in 2011, alleging the company knew of Warren’s threats and failed to provide adequate security. Reports indicate Warren was later found incompetent to stand trial and committed to a state psychiatric hospital. Does anyone have memories of the Kennesaw community response or details about workplace security at the time?