Workers return to Conn. beer distributor 8 days after deadly shooting rampage

Conn. warehouse reopens 8 days after killings

MANCHESTER, Conn. — Employees at a Connecticut beer distributor where nine died in a shooting rampage paused to remember the victims before returning to work.

Hartford Distributors Inc. reopened its Manchester offices and warehouse Wednesday morning, eight days after the rampage. Workers observed a moment of silence in the parking lot and company President Ross Hollander offered words of encouragement to employees.

The reopening came a week and a day after police say company driver Omar Thornton shot eight people to death, wounded two others and killed himself. It happened after he was shown video evidence of him stealing beer and was asked to resign.

Thornton’s family held a private memorial service for him Tuesday at a Hartford funeral home.