Patrick Sherrill

Mass Murderer

Patrick Sherrill and the 1986 Edmond Post Office Massacre

Patrick Sherrill

Patrick Henry Sherrill was an American postal employee who murdered fourteen coworkers at the United States Post Office in Edmond, Oklahoma, on August 20, 1986. The attack lasted less than fifteen minutes and became one of the deadliest workplace shootings in United States history. Six additional postal employees were wounded before Sherrill ended the massacre by killing himself. Sherrill was born on November 13, 1941, in Watonga, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Marine Corps and later belonged to the Oklahoma Air National Guard. While in the National Guard, he participated on a pistol team and became an experienced marksman. People who knew him frequently described him as quiet, isolated and socially awkward. He never married and reportedly had few close personal relationships.

Employment at the Edmond Post Office

Sherrill worked as a part-time relief letter carrier at the Edmond Post Office. Unlike employees with permanently assigned routes, he was sent wherever additional coverage was needed. The position required him to learn different routes and adjust regularly to changing assignments. Accounts of his work performance differed. Some coworkers believed he was a competent employee who was treated harshly by management, while others described him as temperamental, unpredictable and prone to making delivery mistakes. Supervisors reportedly received complaints that Sherrill had misdirected mail, delivered items late and behaved discourteously toward customers. On August 19, 1986, supervisors Richard C. Esser Jr. and William Bland confronted Sherrill about his performance. They directed him to report to work the following morning for another discussion that could have resulted in additional disciplinary action. Some accounts state that Sherrill believed he was about to be fired, although postal officials later disputed whether a final decision to terminate him had been made.

The Morning of August 20, 1986

Shortly before 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 1986, Sherrill arrived at the Edmond Post Office on West First Street. Approximately one hundred employees were inside preparing mail for delivery. Sherrill carried three semiautomatic handguns and extra ammunition concealed in a postal bag. His weapons included two .45-caliber pistols and a .22-caliber pistol. After entering the building, Sherrill secured or blocked several doors, limiting the ability of employees to escape. He then approached the work area and began shooting. His first intended targets appear to have included the supervisors who had disciplined him the previous afternoon. Sherrill found Richard Esser inside the facility and fatally shot him. He also searched for William Bland, but Bland had overslept and arrived late that morning. His absence probably saved his life. Unable to locate Bland, Sherrill continued moving through the postal workroom and fired at other employees. ...

Confirmed Victims: (14)

Patricia Ann Chambers 41 yr old Female

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