How a 1986 workplace tragedy birthed the enduring American phrase going postal
In short: On August 20, 1986, a postal worker in Edmond, Oklahoma, killed 14 colleagues in under fifteen minutes. The scale and nature of this violence left a permanent mark on the American lexicon, inspiring the idiom going postal to describe workplace rage and subsequent, highly publicized incidents of violence within the postal service.
The perpetrator, 44-year-old Patrick Sherrill, was a relief carrier whose lack of a permanent route contributed to professional instability. Opinions regarding his performance were polarized; some colleagues viewed him as irritable and erratic, while others suggested he was a competent worker unfairly targeted by management. Following a disciplinary meeting with supervisors Richard Esser Jr. and Bill Bland on August 19, 1986, Sherrill made two threats of revenge. The following morning, he entered the facility armed with three semi-automatic pistols concealed in a mail bag.
Sherrill’s actions were calculated and swift. After locking the doors, he killed Esser shortly after 7:00 a.m. He then sought out Bland, who had fortunately arrived an hour late due to oversleeping. Sherrill proceeded to kill co-worker Paul Michael Rockne before continuing his assault on the approximately 100 employees present. The violence concluded when Sherrill committed suicide as police entered the building. A former Marine and expert marksman with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, Sherrill had been described by acquaintances as a loner.
The aftermath of the tragedy led to the creation of the Yellow Ribbon Memorial, dedicated on May 29, 1989. Created by sculptor Richard Muno, the memorial features a bronze statue and a fountain with fourteen water jets, each representing a victim. While the site was surveyed as well-maintained in 1996, it has faced challenges over the decades, including structural deterioration and water supply issues. Despite these hurdles, the community has continued to gather at the site to commemorate the victims, particularly during the 25th and 30th anniversaries of the event.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Edmond post office shooting
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