Kyle Steven Crandel shoots & kills 2 plastics plant co-workers at Cleveland, TN outlet, Barku Plastic before killing self. Victims id as Tobias Gleinig (left) & Ivan Aldergot.

 

A Tennessee man is accused of shooting and killing two former coworkers at a Cleveland-area plastics plant before committing suicide after a six-hour standoff with police.

Kyle Steven Crandel, 38, is accused of fatally shooting two employees at Barku Plastics shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 27.
Barku Plastics employees killed were seniors at the Cleveland, Tennessee manufacturing firm.

The Hamilton County Medical Examiner's Office identified the deaths as Tobias Gleinig, a supervisor and production manager of the plant, and Ivan Aldergot, a vice president and five-year veteran of the manufacturing company.

Both victims hailed from Germany, with Barku Plastics a subsidiary of German manufacturer Barku Kunststofftechnik GmbH, which has been in operation since 1977. The Tennessee plant opened in 2003. 

After shooting the victims dead, Crandel fled the scene where he was soon located at a home outside Cleveland city limits in Bradley County.

A six hour standoff involving a SWAT team team ensued before Crandel eventually taking his own life with a self inflicted gunshot, local3news reported. The suspect’s body was discovered after a robot and drone went into the home.

Why had Barku Plastics worker been fired? 

Pictured, Tobias Gleinig (left) & Ivan Aldergot, seniors at Barku Plastics shot dead by Kyle Steven Crandel.

At the time of the shooting, the gunman was in the process of being terminated from his job, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press citing investigators.

Stated parent company Barku Kunststofftechnik GmbH in the aftermath: ‘We are all deeply affected by this senseless act. During this difficult time, our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the families, friends, and colleagues of Ivan and Tobias.

We remember them with respect and gratitude for everything they contributed to our team and our company.’

Not immediately clear is why the worker who killed two seniors at the plastics plant was being terminated.

Authorities had yet to say what led up to the fatal shootings, while revealing the gunman had bee slated to be fired.

A GoFundMe page says the vice president of Barku Plastics and his fellow coworker were more than just friends, ‘they were family.’