AUDIO: Connecticut Shooter Discusses Rational with 911

Friday, 06 August 2010 | by Pat's Picks

The Hartford Courant has the just-released tapes of Omar Thornton, the man who gunned down eight of his colleagues on Monday,  talking with a 911 dispatcher. They’re really interesting. Thorton sounds calm as he explains his motivations. On the recording he blames the racist attitude at his job and says “took things into his own hands.” He also expresses regret for not killing more people. After about four minutes Thorton ended the call and then ended his life.

His girlfriend says he had proof of racial discrimination on his cell phone, which is now in police custody. She says he took photos of a “hangman’s noose drawn on the wall of the employee bathroom.” Company officials say they are unaware of any discrimination and that Thorton never filed a complaint.

Click here to listen to the tape or here to download a transcript of the call.