A White male named Zachariah Werner, age 39, of Kennesaw, Georgia, died on July 7, 2013, more than three years after being shot in a workplace violence incident. The events that led to his death began on the afternoon of January 12, 2010, when a former employee of the Penske truck rental facility in Kennesaw, Jesse James Warren, entered the premises and opened fire. Werner, who was 36 at the time of the shooting, was one of five people shot by Warren. The attack resulted in the immediate deaths of three individuals, while Werner and another victim were critically injured.
Werner sustained a catastrophic injury from a bullet that lodged in his brainstem, leaving him paralyzed and unable to breathe or eat on his own. For the remainder of his life, he was bed-ridden and could only communicate by blinking his eyes or squeezing a hand. His wife, Jodi, became his primary caregiver, supported by home healthcare providers. Despite his severe injuries, his mind remained intact, a condition his attorney described as "one of the most horrible conditions" and akin to "living something worse than death."
The shooter, Jesse James Warren, a 60-year-old former mechanic at the facility, was arrested shortly after the attack. He was found to have two firearms in his possession, and a search of his home uncovered more than 120 additional firearms. Warren's motive for the shooting was rooted in a delusional belief that Penske had stolen $500 million from him, which he claimed to have earned for inventing Wi-Fi for the military. He had a history of mental illness and had received psychiatric treatment at Penske's request prior to the shooting.
Following his arrest, Warren was charged with multiple counts of murder and aggravated assault. Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty. However, legal proceedings were complicated by Warren's severe mental health issues. He was diagnosed with a delusional disorder and schizophrenia and refused to take anti-psychotic medication. After years of legal battles, including a Georgia Supreme Court ruling that he could not be forcibly medicated, Jesse James Warren was declared incompetent to stand trial in August 2017. He was subsequently committed to a secure state psychiatric hospital indefinitely. In 2011, Zachariah Werner and his wife filed a $20 million lawsuit against Penske and its related companies, alleging that the company was aware of Warren's threats and failed to provide adequate security for its employees.
