In the summer of 1986, the quiet city of Edmond, Oklahoma, was rocked by a tragedy that would leave an indelible mark on the community. On the morning of August 20th, a disgruntled postal worker named Patrick Henry Sherrill, 44, embarked on a horrific shooting rampage at the local post office. Among the fourteen innocent lives lost that day was William Miller, a 30-year-old male rural carrier.
The day began like any other for the employees of the Edmond post office.
However, Sherrill, who had been reprimanded by two supervisors the previous day for his poor work performance, arrived with a mailbag containing three pistols and a sinister plan for revenge. Shortly after 7:00 a.m., he entered the building, locked the doors, and began his assault by fatally shooting one of the supervisors who had disciplined him. Chaos erupted as Sherrill moved methodically through the post office, shooting at his colleagues.
William Miller, along with thirteen of his coworkers, tragically became a victim of Sherrill's indiscriminate violence. The rampage lasted for approximately 15 minutes, during which Sherrill also wounded six other individuals. He sought out employees who were hiding under tables and in work stations, ensuring there was little chance for escape.
The first police officers arrived within minutes of the shooting starting and surrounded the building. They attempted to establish contact with Sherrill, but their efforts were met with silence. A SWAT team eventually entered the post office and discovered a scene of unimaginable carnage. Among the deceased was Patrick Henry Sherrill, who had turned a gun on himself, ending his deadly assault with suicide. His actions left a community devastated and introduced the chilling phrase "going postal" into the American lexicon.
