The press reports are coming in fast and furious at this time on an office shooting during a mediation today at an office building here in Phoenix. The reports I’ve read (here and here) indicate that 1 person is dead, 1 person is out of emergency surgery, and others are in the hospital with other less serious injuries. I haven’t seen press reports on this, but the word from the legal community is that the shooter was disgruntled after a mediation and went on a shooting spree including shooting the opposing lawyer. The lawyer was shot in the neck and lower back, is now out of emergency surgery, and is expected to be ok.
Ugh on so many levels.
Update
More about the incident from this press report. Here’s a short blurb –
According to Thompson and other sources, Harmon, Hummels and Singer had attended a mediation proceeding Wednesday morning at the offices of DeConcini, McDonald, Yetwin & Lacy. Lisa Anne Davis, managing partner, said one of the firm’s lawyers presided over the session as a court-appointed judge pro tem.
Mark Harrison, who works with Hummels at the firm of Osborn Maledon, said he was told the session was interrupted when Harmon announced he needed to go outside to his car. When Harmon failed to return after a prolonged wait, Hummels, Singer and others assumed he was not coming back. They headed downstairs, and as they were leaving, they were shot.
That is just a brutal story. I agree with Tom. It’s pretty difficult to prevent such things. Such a problem…
Horrible and shocking story. Many mediators and ombuds have security systems in place, but these only provide protection in the office. I can’t think of any reasonable way to prevent this kind of incident.
I think that this is yet another reason why teaching mediators about issues involving safety is always so important.