Fired employee shot owner of Fayette County scrap metal dealer, DA says

MENALLEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is being held in jail without bond after State Police say he shot his former boss.

Troopers say Grant Headley shot James Bell, the owner of Route 51 Auto Wreckers, just after 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

He apparently had been fired from the job this week.

“It sounds like it was something that happened possibly yesterday,” said Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele. “At some point this week he was let go from that organization.”

State Police said Headley went there to pick up $60,000 worth of personal tools.

“The tools that he was going to retrieve were something he would work on the equipment there at that location,” said Trooper Kalee Barnhart of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Troopers said video surveillance at the scene shows Bell operating a forklift around 8:30 a.m. when Headley showed up. Bell parked the forklift next to Headley’s car and started walking toward the office building, and the two appeared to be arguing.

RAW VIDEO: Fired employee shot owner of Fayette County scrap metal dealer, DA says

Troopers said Headley walked back to his car, grabbed a gun, and fired seven shots at Bell, hitting him once in the right thigh before driving away.

Bell was taken by ambulance to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown and is doing okay.

“It sounds like he’s gotten extremely lucky,” Aubele said of Bell’s condition.

While troopers started searching for Headley, he turned himself in to the magistrate’s office in Masontown. Once he was under arrest, troopers said Headley told them he feared his former boss was going to smash his tools with the forklift.

But Aubele said investigators believe Headley showed up with the intent to kill his former boss.

“It goes without saying that when you use a deadly weapon such as a firearm, you’re almost certainly intending to kill somebody when you’re shooting them,” Aubele said.

“This was extremely uncalled for,” added Barnhart. “I’m sure his employer did not expect him to take these actions, and he’ll be charged accordingly.”

Headley is facing several charges, including attempted homicide. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 27.

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