HPD: Laid off man fatally shoots former colleague

A man allegedly shot and killed his boss at a business near Mesa and Spikewood on Wednesday, June 23, 2015. (Billy Smith II / Houston Chronicle) A man allegedly shot and killed his boss at a business near Mesa and Spikewood on Wednesday, June 23, 2015. (Billy Smith II / Houston Chronicle) Photo: Billy Smith II, Houston Chronicle Photo: Billy Smith II, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close HPD: Laid off man fatally shoots former colleague 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

A man who had just been told he was laid off shot and killed a colleague Tuesday at the northeast Houston company where he worked, police said.

The shooting was reported about 12:15 p.m. at the business, Val-Fit Inc., at 9051 of Spikewood near Mesa, according to the Houston Police Department. For most of the day, crime scene tape blocked entrance to the steel distribution company, located in a warehouse district.

The man and others were at a meeting when he was told he was laid off, said Sergeant Christopher Hassig with HPD's homicide division.

Witnesses said the former employee "retrieved" a handgun after learning that he was laid off, the sergeant said.

The man opened fire, striking his colleague several times. The colleague died at the scene.

"The complainant suffered multiple gun shot wounds after this meeting where the suspect was laid off," Hassig said.

Whether the man was aiming at that particular colleague is unclear.

"It's too early to speculate on that part," Hassig told reporters at a news conference outside the company. "You know there were multiple witnesses, multiple people around. I don't want to get as to who he was pointing the gun at."

The suspected gunman had worked at the company for one year, Hassig said.

He drove off in a company truck, a 2012 white Ford F-350 flatbed truck with Texas license plate BN81425.

Hassig identified the laid off worker as 49-year-old Rodney Jackson, saying he was releasing his name after speaking with witnesses. Jackson is about 6 feet tall and weighs 300 pounds.

Hassig said he did not know if the victim was the person who laid off Jackson. He also declined to name the victim, who HFD pronounced dead at the scene, or give his position at the company.