Employee Gunned Down on First Day of Work

The shooter and victim, both employees, knew each other outside of work.

A 29-year-old employee is dead after he was gunned down during his first day of work. On Tuesday, John Eric Cole reported to work at Samuel Associated Tube Group, a manufacturer of small diameter, electric-resistance-welded and fabricated carbon steel tubing in Pinson, which is a small town near Birmingham, AL. 

A little after midnight on Tuesday, he was gunned down by a coworker, who shot Cole multiple times in the back. 

Cole succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead after emergency personnel arrived. 

The shooter was identified as 34-year-old Dexter Rashad Walker, a fellow associate at Samuel Associated Tube Group.

Walker fled the scene, but once he was identified, he returned to the facility and surrendered to law enforcement, according to AL.com.

Samuel Associated Tube Group has approximately 200 employees in Alabama. According to a statement to WBRC, the company is cooperating with the investigation, though it is still unknown what sparked the incident. 

According to a company, Cole and Walker had previously known one another outside of work. 

The company said, "The safety of our team members is our top priority and we are ensuring our team members are fully supported during this difficult situation."

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