A former employee at a Fox affiliate in Austin, Texas, shot and killed himself Monday outside the company headquarters in downtown Manhattan, authorities said.
Philip Perea, 41, of Irving, Texas, shot himself once in the chest in front of the building at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, The Wall Street Journal reported. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Prior to the shooting, Perea had handed out fliers that criticized his former employer and faulted the company that “ended my career,” The Journal reported.
Police recovered a suicide note and gun at the scene. Perea’s Twitter account also showed he sent out several messages criticizing his former employer an hour before his death.
Fox Television Station CEO Jack Abernethy issued a statement to employees confirming Perea’s death.
“He was employed at our Austin television station for 10 months and has not been with the station or FTS since June 2014,” Mr. Abernethy said in the statement. “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy.”
A witness, Kris Lew, told The Journal she “heard two shots — pop, pop — really quick” and thought immediately of gunfire.
“But [then I thought], it can’t be, because we’re in Rockefeller Center,” she said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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