Alabama workplace shooting: Two employees killed, two injured at Mueller Co. in Albertville

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Two employees of the Mueller Co. in Albertville are dead and two remain in the hospital following a shooting Tuesday.

Albertville Police Chief Jamie Smith confirms a shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. on June 15. The incident happened at the Mueller Co. facility located at 956 Industrial Blvd. Police soon gathered outside of the Albertville facility early Tuesday morning.

Smith said the shots were fired by employee Andreas Horton, age 34 of DeKalb County.

Two employees were killed and two were injured as a result of the gunshots. Albertville Police say Horton left the scene in a Jeep following the shooting.

David Lee Horton and Michael Lee Dobbins, both of Boaz, were pronounced dead at the scene. David Lee Horton has no relation to Andreas Horton.

A GoFundMe was set up for Lee Dobbins to help cover his burial expenses. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/lee-dobbins-family-expenses?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unknown&utm_campaign=comms_ymym+lee-dobbins-family-expenses to view the GoFundMe.

Casey Sampson and Isaac Byrd, both of Albertville, were injured in the shooting and transported to Marshall Medical Center South. Sampson and Byrd were later transported to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga for further treatment.

WAFF is told Byrd was released from surgery and is currently in stable condition.

Pastor Glenn from Crossroads Church has provided an update on the latest on Byrd’s condition.

Statment released on Isaac Byrd’s condition as of 6/22:

The surgery for Isaac to have a tracheotomy was canceled. They removed the ventilator today to see if he could breathe on his own. HE CAN & HE IS! His first words were, “Thank You, Jesus”! He can now move his right hand across his chest & point with his finger. He’s getting better by the hour! Say it with us: “Thank You, Jesus!” Thanks for your faithful prayers!

Sampson’s sister, Amanda Sampson, wrote a statement on her Facebook page to update his current condition.

Statment released on Casey Sampson’s condition:

As of now, surgery will not help with regaining sensation. They are going to try and wean him off the ventilator when appropriate, maybe start that later today. Hoping he can use his diaphragm muscles to breathe on his own. If not they will do a tracheostomy and possibly a feeding tube. He will need spinal cord rehab and we will push for Shepherds in Atlanta as soon as the transfer is possible. He is on pain meds, blood pressure meds and antibiotics. His BP is stable, the temperature is fluctuating but that’s normal. He was pretty drowsy when I got to see him a little bit ago, not communicating as well as yesterday, probably wore himself out trying to flirt with the nurses all night. Albertville Police and the FBI are working together to figure out why Andreas Horton brought a gun to work and shot four people inside. Horton worked at Mueller Water Products.

A GoFundMe was also set up for Casey Sampson https://www.gofundme.com/f/casey-sampson-and-family?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet+chico96v&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer to view or donate.

The below playlist includes videos from WAFF’s Team Coverage:

Guntersville officers located Horton’s vehicle shortly before 6 a.m. near the Guntersville City Cemetery.

After further investigation, officers located the Horton dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Guntersville Police Department handled the scene.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey tweeted about the shooting on Tuesday afternoon:

Below is a map of the shooting location:

Statement from Albertville Police Chief Jamie Smith:

“This morning around 2:30am a call was received at the Albertville Police Department of a shooting at Mueller Company. Officers from the Albertville Police Department and also officers from the Boaz Police Department responded to the scene. Upon the officer’s arrival, 4 victims were located and the apparent shooter had fled the scene in a maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee. Information was broadcast to surrounding agencies concerning the incident. As the investigation unfolded it was determined that the shooter, Andreas Deon Horton (34 years old) of County Road 25 in Dekalb County, an employee of Mueller Company presented a handgun and fired an unknown number of rounds at fellow employees. During the gunfire Michael Lee Dobbins of Gaither Rd, Boaz and David Lee Horton of Williams St, Boaz were fatally wounded during the incident. Injured during the gunfire was Casey Sampson of Irvin Lane, Albertville and Isaac Byrd of Columbus Street, Albertville. Both Sampson and Byrd were transported to Marshall Medical Center South for treatment and later transferred to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tn.

Officers immediately began a search for Horton and through investigation and police work discovered that Horton was still travelling in the maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee and was possibly in the downtown area of Guntersville. Shortly before 6:00am a Guntersville Police Officer was searching the area and discovered the Jeep on Carlisle Avenue near the Guntersville City Cemetery. Other officers responded to the scene to assist and the suspect was discovered to be dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and multiple weapons were recovered from the vehicle.

At this time officers are still at the shooting scene at Mueller Company processing for any additional evidence. Currently officers are also still working toward a motive as to why the shooting occurred which will hopefully be discovered in the coming days. Guntersville Police and the Marshall County District Attorney’s Office, along with a Detective from the Albertville Police Department, handled the scene where the suspect was located in Guntersville. I would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to the Mueller Company in the coming days. They have been a pillar and a great community partner in Marshall County for many years.”

A statement released by Mueller Co. is below:

“Mueller Water Products is shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific tragedy that occurred early this morning at our Albertville, Alabama facility. Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones, the Albertville community and the entire Mueller family during this extremely difficult time. Our entire focus is on the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, and we are committed to providing any and all support to them and their families. We continue to work closely with law enforcement, which whom we share our deepest gratitude for their support. We will provide updates as we learn more.”

See a statement from Albertville Mayor Tracy Honea below:

“Our hearts are breaking today after the senseless tragedy that has taken place at Mueller Company in Albertville. Mueller has been an integral part of the lifeblood and workforce of this city for just shy of 50 years. Thanks to them, Albertville is not only the “heart of Sand Mountain,” bus is also proudly known as the “fire Hydrant Capital of the World.” They are dedicated, important partners of this community and we hurt with them today. On behalf of myself, our administration and staff of the City of Albertville – I send out heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, well wishes to those injured, and our thoughts and prayers to the entire Mueller team, both here in Albertville, across the United States, and abroad. I’d also like to thank our Chief of Police, Jamie Smith, the Albertville Police Department and all assisting agencies for their help today, and for the outstanding work, they do day in and day out. They are all too often unsung heroes and we ask that you remember them during this time, as well.”

WAFF’s Eric Graves reporting live from Mueller Co. scene on Tuesday morning:

Below is a photo of the suspect’s vehicle:

In the coming days, police and the FBI will look at evidence found at both scenes.

“A search warrant may not necessarily be necessary as he has a wife/girlfriend,” said Albertville Police Chief. “She would be able to give consent to detectives deem it necessary to search his residence.”

Investigators hope to speak with the two victims at a Chattanooga Hospital to find out if they have the answers to the question of why this happened.

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