A Cullman County native was one of the five people shot and killed Friday by a disgruntled coworker at a manufacturing facility in Aurora, Illinois.
WBRC confirmed that Josh Pinkard, a 37-year-old originally from Holly Pond, passed away in the shooting.
The outlet further reported that Pinkard was a father of three. He had recently been promoted to plant manager at Henry Pratt Company, the facility outside of Chicago where the shooting occurred.
NBC News reported that Mueller Water Products, the parent company of Henry Pratt, said that Pinkard joined the company 13 years ago in Albertville and just moved to Illinois last spring when he was promoted. Loved ones described him as a man devoted to his family and faith.
“He texted his wife, ‘I love you. I’ve been shot,’” Pinkard’s uncle David Chambers said, per WBRC.
That was the last Pinkard’s wife ever heard from him.
“Tried to think positive, but I think it was in all of our minds, with him not responding back, he probably didn’t make it,” Chambers added.
The uncle advised, “Josh was one of the most likable, lovable, Godly young men you’d ever want to meet. He was just a great, young fella. I don’t know of anybody that ever had a bad word to speak against Josh.”
Unfortunately, this family is no stranger to tragedy, as Pinkard’s younger sister was killed in an accident several years ago. However, even through the pain, the family remains strong, bolstered by their faith.
“We’re all struggling, we’re all saddened, we’re heartbroken. But we know where Josh is because of his testimony of Jesus was his Savior and Lord,” Chambers emphasized. “Therefore, we can rejoice in that we don’t have to wonder where he is.”
Josh Pinkard moved from Alabama with his wife and three kids last spring to work as a plant manager at Henry Pratt in Aurora.
On Friday, he was one of five employees killed by a disgruntled co-worker in a mass shooting at the west suburban plant. https://t.co/jIQNUVDXtN
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) February 17, 2019
You can read more about the shooting here.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
