Out of the six people shot at a Cobb County FedEx facility, security guard Christopher Sparkman's condition was the most critical. After a successful surgical procedure today, Sparkman's third, his wife had reason to give thanks.
“My husband … is out of surgery and by the grace of God on the road to recovery,” Jamie Lynn Sparkman said in a statement just before 1 p.m. Thursday.
Christopher Sparkman, a newlywed and Army veteran, was the first person shot Tuesday morning by 19-year-old Geddy Kramer, Cobb police said. Christopher Sparkman, 28, of Canton, was shot in the stomach from less than 3 feet away and underwent two emergency surgeries the same day.
Geddy Kramer shot five others before killing himself. He was found dead inside a trailer at the facility. Investigators believe he acted alone.
Larry Sparkman, Christopher Sparkman’s father, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he expected his son would be off the ventilator next week. However, he faces between three and 12 months of recovery.
“The recovery process will be a long one,” Jamie Lynn Sparkman said, “but he will have the love and support of his family each step of the way.”
Here’s the latest:
The victims’ conditions
The mother of one of the victims said her son is lucky to be alive.
“When the FBI interviewed him, they told us about all the ammo and homemade bombs he had in his car,” said Theresia Sutton, whose 19-year-old son, Brandyn Stonebraker, was among those wounded.
Stonebraker was released from WellStar Kennestone Hospital on Wednesday and is recovering at home, but his mother said he’s not ready to speak with reporters.
“(Kramer) had a lot more planned than he carried out,” Sutton said.
Three people remained hospitalized this morning, according to Officer David Baldwin with Marietta police. In addition to Sparkman, a 52-year-old woman was in stable condition and a 22-year-old man was upgraded from stable to good condition. Their names were not released.
Three other victims were treated at the hospital and released.
Why did the shooting happen?
Neither police nor Geddy Kramer’s family could answer the question on everyone’s mind Wednesday afternoon. Why?
"I don't have an explanation," his father, Scott Kramer, said outside his family's Acworth home.
Scott Kramer said his son gave no indications of what he had planned and nothing seemed amiss. The father said that while his family is grieving, the concern should instead be on the victims.
Shooter left a note
Geddy Kramer left a note behind, Cobb police said Wednesday. But details about what that note said weren't released. Investigators also found the box for the shotgun, Officer Mike Bowman said.
“We do know the shotgun was owned by the suspect,” he said.
Geddy Kramer suffered from depression?
CBS Atlanta reported Tuesday that Geddy Kramer may have suffered from depression and had previously suggested he might bring guns to his job. "I remember Geddy would always joke around about shooting up his workplace," family friend and next door neighbor Lucas Dziedzic told Channel 46. Dziedzic's girlfriend, Bryanna Cunningham, told the TV station that Geddy Kramer "seemed a little depressed." Go here to read the AJC's profile of Geddy Kramer.
Scott Kramer said that his son never mentioned a problem with a co-worker or boss. Geddy Kramer was quiet and moody, but liked to hike, his father said.
Cobb police declined to discuss the shooter’s mental state or whether he was on medication.
More security at FedEx
Police declined to release any information about a possible motive, declining to speculate on what may have prompted Geddy Kramer to open fire.
“We’re trying to lay the foundation for what happened,” Bowman said.
Bowman said off-duty officers have been hired by FedEx, which opened the facility to employees at noon Wednesday, to patrol the campus.
— Staff writers Christian Boone and Marcus K. Garner contributed to this report.
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