Nanaimo sawmill shooting victim Earl Kelly says he’s feeling very fortunate and at the same time saddened by the tragic death of his co-workers.
From his hospital bed in Victoria General Hospital, the victim’s family said in a handwritten note forwarded to Island Health officials that they “would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support.
“Earl is showing steady improvement and has the comfort of his family,” it reads.
Kelly remains in critical condition, according to Island Health.
Kelly was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital yesterday morning after a gunman opened fire at Western Forest Products sawmill just before 7 a.m.
Four people were taken to hospital. Two were pronounced dead.
Nanaimo RCMP have confirmed the two men who died are 61-year-old Michael John Lunn and 53-year-old Fred James McEachern.
The two men injured were Kelly, and Tony Sudar, who was discharged today from Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Sudar is the company’s vice-president of manufacturing.
“He is feeling very fortunate and at the same time very saddened by the whole event (the loss of his co-workers).”
Murder charges have been laid against the 47-year-old former mill worker who allegedly shot four people at the Western Forest Products sawmill Wednesday morning, killing two men.
Kevin Douglas Addison of Nanaimo has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Addison was charged by telebail Wednesday night and is set to appear this afternoon in Nanaimo Provincial Court.
