Clifton Mccree

Mass Murderer

Clifton McCree and the 1996 Fort Lauderdale Workplace Massacre

Background

Clifton McCree was a 41-year-old former municipal employee who carried out a deadly workplace shooting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 9, 1996. McCree, who was born on November 23, 1954, had served in the United States Marine Corps and later spent approximately 18 years working for the City of Fort Lauderdale. His duties included beach cleaning and maintenance work for the city's Parks and Recreation Department. McCree had once worked alongside the men he later attacked. However, his employment deteriorated amid accusations that he used drugs while working, threatened coworkers and behaved aggressively toward members of the public. He was fired by the city in December 1994 after failing a drug test and following complaints about his conduct. City officials reportedly offered McCree counseling when he was terminated, but he rejected the suggestion and maintained that there was nothing wrong with him. Some coworkers later said that McCree had made threats about returning to the workplace and killing people. At the time, some of the threatening statements were apparently dismissed as angry remarks or jokes rather than treated as evidence of a planned attack.

Resentment After His Termination

During the 14 months following his dismissal, McCree remained deeply angry over the loss of his job. He believed that racism had influenced the city's decision to fire him and that white supervisors and coworkers had treated him unfairly. He reportedly made repeated attempts to regain his municipal employment, including an unsuccessful effort shortly before the massacre. McCree's inability to return to work reportedly caused serious financial and emotional strain. He had a family to support and expressed despair over no longer being able to provide for them. Rather than moving beyond the dispute, he became increasingly focused on the people he blamed for his termination. Investigators later found a suicide note on McCree's body. In the note, he described his former coworkers and supervisors as racist and indicated that he intended to punish those he believed had wronged him. The note showed that the shooting was a deliberate act of revenge rather than a spontaneous confrontation.

The Morning of February 9, 1996

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 1996, members of Fort Lauderdale's beach-maintenance crew were gathered inside a small municipal office near East Las Olas Boulevard and the Intracoastal Waterway. The office consisted of prefabricated trailers and was used by employees to meet before beginning their daily assignments. Several workers were seated around a conference table, reportedly eating breakfast or preparing for their morning briefing, when McCree entered the trailer. He was dressed in dark clothing and carried two firearms. His primary weapon was a 9-millimeter Glock semiautomatic pistol. He also had a loaded .32-caliber revolver in a shoulder holster, although investigators determined that he did not fire the second weapon. Upon entering the room, McCree announced that everyone was going to die. He then raised the Glock and began firing at the employees seated around the table. The workers had little warning and almost no opportunity to escape from the confined trailer. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Joseph Belotto 40 yr old Male

Fired Employee Guns Down Co-Workers