Authorities: Woman, granddaughter dead in shooting at Indiana automotive plant

FRANKFORT, Ind. — A woman and her granddaughter were fatally shot Wednesday when a gunman opened fire outside a central Indiana automotive plant where the women worked, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office said.

The shooting happened around 4:15 p.m. during a shift change in the parking lot of the NHK Seating of America plant on Indiana 28 at Interstate 65 near Frankfort, according to authorities.

The suspect fled the scene in a blue Ford, and a high-speed police chase ensued on Indiana 28 toward Frankfort where the suspect crashed his car in a construction zone and was arrested without further incident, Sheriff Rich Kelly told reporters. He said co-workers identified the suspect as Gary C. Ferrell II, 26, of Frankfort, who worked the day shift at the plant, and said he remained in custody pending charges.

“We were able to get him stopped within probably 45 seconds to a minute of him leaving the facility,” Kelly told reporters.

Killed were co-workers Promise Mays, 21, and her grandmother, Pamela Sled, 62, both of nearby Rossville, who were arriving for the beginning of their evening shifts, Kelly said. No motive had been determined, and it was not yet known if the women were targeted or victims of a random attack, he said.

The plant, which designs and makes seating for vehicles, opened in June. Kelly said it shut down production for the day after the shooting.

A message left Wednesday for a plant spokesperson wasn’t immediately returned.