Three union members killed, fourth injured in deadly incidents Dec. 5

Two Metal Trades members killed, one injured in shooting at Pearl Harbor Naval Base; Teamster UPS driver killed in carjacking, shootout

BY TIM ROWDEN
Editor

Thursday, Dec. 5, was deadly and tragic for union members.

Two members of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 121, an affiliate of the Hawaii Federal Employees Metal Trades Council (HFEMTC), were killed and a third was injured in a mass shooting that day at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard near Honolulu.

The three were civilian employees of the Department of Defense.

Metals Inspector Apprentice Vincent J. Kapoi, 30, and Shop Planner (Nondestructive Testing) Roldan A. Agustin, 49, were both killed in the attack. A third union member remained hospitalized.

Pentagon officials told the Navy Times Machinist’s Mate Auxiliary Fireman Gabriel Antonio Romero, 22, opened fire with his service weapons – an M4 rifle and an M9 pistol – fatally shooting Kapoi and Agustin at the shipyard and injuring the third with the rifle, before shooting himself with the pistol.

Local 121 President Jamie Hiranaka said all three were inspectors who checked welding and other work. Hiranaka said the union was trying to help employees get through the shooting.

“Some were witnesses, others heard the gunshots, others locked down into the closest building they could find, but most were locked in their offices not knowing (what) was happening,” a union statement said. “Many emotions were felt, but most were of fear, terror, sadness and grief.”

A military official told the Associated Press that Romero was unhappy with his commanders, and that he was going through counseling and facing non-judicial punishment for minor misconduct.

TEAMSTER UPS DRIVER KILLED IN CARJACKING, SHOOTOUT

Teamster and UPS driver Frank Ordonez, 27 was killed in a harrowing police chase in Florida that unfolded after jewelry thieves hijacked his truck Dec. 5 and took Ordonez hostage.

Four people were killed, including Ordonez and another innocent bystander, after two suspects in an attempted robbery of a jewelry store in Coral Gables, Fla., hijacked Ordonez’s UPS truck and led police on a chase across several counties during rush hour that concluded with the deadly shootout in Miramar.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic events from earlier today regarding one of our Teamsters Local 769 members, who was carjacked while doing his job,” Local 769 President Josh Zivalich said in a statement. “He was ultimately victimized in a shootout after a lengthy police pursuit with the carjackers.

“The cowardly actions of the criminals involved that chose to kidnap this hard working young man to give themselves some type of ‘cover’ or ‘shield’ are precisely the opposite of what Teamster men and women are and stand for,” Zivalich said. “We pray for the family of this young man.”