Times Telemarketing Worker Shoots Colleague, Kills Self

An employee at a Los Angeles Times telemarketing office fired numerous gunshots at his co-workers Tuesday night, wounding one man and barricading himself in an office where he was later found dead of what authorities believed were self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

The body of James Pittmon, a telemarketing sales representative who had worked for The Times for more than five years, was found in a second-floor office, four hours after he apparently opened fire in the building in the 2000 block of East Cashdan Street, authorities said.

The wounded man, Philip Washington, also a Times telemarketing representative at the Rancho Dominguez facility, was shot in the chest. He was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he was in stable condition.

The incident began at 6:20 p.m. when about 70 Times employees were returning to the office from their evening break. Employee Richard Elliott said Pittmon walked into the telemarketing room holding a gun over his head.

“He walked in, brought the gun down and bang!” Elliott said. “Then he just walked out. He looked very calm. He said nothing, no words at all.”

Employees who had fled the building told sheriff’s deputies that Pittmon had a dispute with Washington and was aiming at him. But after Washington was shot, Pittmon began firing wildly at other co-workers, authorities said.

“Most of the employees were able to get out of the building, with the exception of three people who were forced to barricade themselves in an office,” said Deputy Henry Garza.

Times spokeswoman Laura Morgan said the company sent counselors to the scene to speak with employees.