MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After the senseless shootings at our Virginia CBS affiliate, a local man who experienced something similar spoke out about recognizing dangers in the workplace.
Ron Pokrandt worked with a human resources firm in Memphis and found himself in the middle of a deadly situation more than 20 years ago. He used his experience to share advice on what to do if you feel in danger at your workplace.
“It was a domestic situation,” Pokrandt said. “Someone just walked into the office and proceeded to shoot someone and then took his own life.”
That’s what he experienced at the Terminex in Memphis when he worked there more than two decades ago.
After a Virginia reporter and photographer were ambushed and killed by a former reporter from their station, it brought back hard memories.
“I didn’t realize initially that it happened out in the field,” he said. “I thought it was in an office.”
That made it even more difficult to prevent.
The shooter reportedly had a history of making threats to other employees and posted a tirade on Twitter about people making HR complaints against him.
Regardless, Pokrandt said it is critical employees report anyone at their job who they think might be dangerous.
“It’s not squealing. It’s not tattling on someone,” he said. “This person could be a danger to anybody.”
He said you should be on the lookout for someone who is making threats, acting aggressively or seems mentally unstable.
From the manager’s side of the desk, he said every concern has to be taken very seriously.
“Management, more often than not, wants to do the right thing by their employees, but they have to know,” he said.
If someone has to be fired, Pokrandt said to take precautions, especially if you expect that person could act out violently.
“I would do it in a private situation,” he said. “I would not do it alone. I would have somebody there, legally for a witness, also for a bodyguard.”
Pokrandt recommended reaching out to your company’s HR representative and your supervisor if another employee ever makes you feel unsafe.
