A tragic incident unfolded at a Lowe’s store near Scranton, Pennsylvania, when an employee allegedly shot and killed a colleague. The accused, 36-year-old Christopher Wasnetsky, is said to have sent an email to the company’s human resources department prior to the incident, stating that he would not have resorted to such drastic measures if his previous complaints against the victim, Jeffrey Moeller, had been addressed.
Wasnetsky is now facing charges of first- and third-degree murder in connection with Moeller’s death. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on a Saturday, when Scranton police were called to the Lowe’s store on Viewmont Drive. Upon arrival, they found Moeller, 44, in a pool of blood, suffering from two gunshot wounds to the head and one to the back. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Moeller succumbed to his injuries.
In a surprising turn of events, Wasnetsky reportedly called 911 himself after the shooting. He allegedly confessed to the dispatcher that he was the shooter, citing “months of harassment and other things” as the reason behind his actions. The store manager, however, told detectives that they had investigated Wasnetsky’s complaints but found no evidence to substantiate them.
Wasnetsky reportedly told detectives that he had been harassed by Moeller over a period of time and felt that no one was taking his complaints seriously. He allegedly admitted to bringing a handgun to work with the intention of shooting Moeller and then himself. He also claimed to have practiced shooting the gun in his backyard.
Surveillance footage from the store corroborated the sequence of events. The video showed Moeller operating a forklift when Wasnetsky, pushing a shopping cart, approached him. He allegedly pulled out a gun from the cart and shot Moeller from about 5 feet away. Despite Moeller’s attempts to crawl to safety, Wasnetsky allegedly fired more shots.
Contrary to Wasnetsky’s claims, Moeller’s sister, Christina, stated on a GoFundMe page that her brother had reported “ongoing concerns” about Wasnetsky to HR multiple times. She expressed her grief over the loss of her brother, who she described as a loving father and a dedicated worker.
A Lowe’s spokesperson expressed the company’s deep sadness over the incident and assured that they are working closely with law enforcement. Moeller, a father of three daughters, had been working overnight shifts at Lowe’s so he could spend the day with his children.
Wasnetsky is currently being held at the Lackawanna County Prison without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 30.