Dismissed Worker Kills 4 Colleagues

A man who had been fired two months ago from his job at the R. E. Phelon Co. parts plant shot seven people there, killing four of them.

Arthur Hastings Wise, 43, was captured by a SWAT team about 2 1/2 hours after the Monday afternoon shooting rampage. He was hospitalized in critical condition. A hospital spokeswoman said it appeared Wise had taken some type of drug.

Aiken County sheriff’s Lt. Michael Frank said Wise had pulled up to a security shack about 3 p.m., just after the shift change, and shot the guard, then walked in through the main entrance of the plant, which employs 400 people making parts for lawn mowers and chain saws. Three people were killed inside the plant.

Wise was later found lying on the floor of an upstairs office, his pistol at his side, Frank said.