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Exterior view of Boeing’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, on March 25, 2024.
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CNN
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Boeing whistleblower John Barnett has died by suicide, according to a police report released Friday. This concludes an investigation into the shocking death of a longtime employee who sued Boeing after raising concerns about the plane maker’s safety and production standards. unlawfully retaliated against him.
Barnett, 62, was found dead in his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 9 in Charleston, South Carolina. Officers were sent to perform a welfare check on Barnett at the Holiday Inn after he failed to appear for a deposition in his lawsuit against Boeing, according to his attorney and police incident report. That’s what it means.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Barnett dead in the driver’s seat of his truck in the parking lot. he had a handgun. The initial police report also said there was a note inside the truck.
However, Barnett’s lawyer said in a statement after Barnett’s death that the deposition was nearing its end and Barnett appeared to be in good spirits.
“There was no indication that he would take his own life.” His attorneys, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, said in a March 12 statement that “nobody could believe this.” “The Charleston Police Department needs to thoroughly and accurately investigate this and communicate what they find to the public.”
Charleston police announced Friday that the Charleston County Coroner’s Office has concluded that Barnett died by suicide, ending the investigation into Barnett’s death.
An investigation revealed that Barnett had been shot in the head at close range and the murder weapon was found in his right hand. A note was also found in the front seat of the car indicating that he was in “severe personal distress,” according to a media release about the police investigation.
Police shared with CNN an image of a note left inside the car with multiple messages disparaging Boeing.
Police said: “As we near the end of this investigation, we must remember that this represents the loss of Mr Barnett’s life,” adding: “Our hearts go out to the family at this difficult time.” And I hope they continue to find the strength to persevere.” Absent. ”
Boeing could not be reached for comment. The company said in March that it was saddened by Barnett’s death.
The company said, “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Barnett, a former quality manager who worked for Boeing for decades, told The New York Times in 2019 that he discovered dangerous wiring clusters in Boeing’s manufacturing process. If it had been cut by a nearby piece of metal, it could have caused a catastrophic failure of the aircraft. aircraft.
“As Boeing’s quality manager, you are the last line of defense before defects leak into the aircraft,” Barnett told the Times. “And I have yet to see a plane leave Charleston that I would call safe and flyable.”
Brad Zabach, the factory’s floor leader and general manager of the 787 program, said in a statement sent to factory employees and provided to CNN at the time that the Times report was a “distortion and failure of planning and planning.” “It paints an accurate picture.” This is our (factory) team. ”
“Quality is our foundation,” said Zabak, who the Times said declined an invitation to visit the factory, adding that the factory supplies “the highest quality aircraft.”
Since Barnett first publicly warned about Boeing, the company has made several major safety and quality mistakes, including a 737 Max door plug that blew out shortly after takeoff in January. In response, the U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that Boeing could face criminal charges over past safety issues.
