Police: Leominster Man Threatened 'Orlando-esque' Workplace Shooting

LEOMINSTER (CBS) -- A Leominster man was arrested after police say he threatened a workplace shooting and referenced the Orlando massacre Friday morning.

Javier Rodriguez, 39, was charged with making terroristic threats aimed at several of his co-workers at Alpha Gary Corporation in Leominster.

Leominster Police responded to the company's factory on Pioneer Drive around 9:45 a.m. Friday at the request of the company's human resources manager.

Police spoke with an employee who said that, around 7:10 p.m. the previous night, Rodriguez asked him where he could purchase a gun. The employee, who had worked with Rodriguez for 11 years, said Rodriguez appeared "pale and blank faced," according to a police report.

The report then says the employee told police Rodriguez threatened to kill their shift supervisor with a gun, and said he was going to shoot several co-workers.

The employee told police Rodriguez said he would "make this place look like Orlando," referencing the massacre that unfolded in an Orlando nightclub earlier this month, where 49 people were shot to death.

At punch-out 20 minutes later, the employee said Rodriguez told him not to tell anyone about what he said.

Police said in their report that they found the threats to be serious, and that with about 50-60 employees working on each shift at the factory, the number of potential victims was high.

After police removed the shift supervisor from the factory for his safety, Rodriguez was taken into custody without incident.

A neighbor of the shift supervisor who was threatened said she believed police made the right decision to arrest Rodriguez.

"I think they did the right thing. Rather be safe than sorry," the woman said.

Another of the man's coworkers called the allegations out of character for Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is due in court Wednesday for a dangerousness hearing.