Now this is holding a grudge! 
Vancouver man charged in fatal Christmas party shooting
Dec 13, 2008 07:31 PM
Jeremy Hainsworth
THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER–A 61-year-old Vancouver man was charged Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of his former boss at an office Christmas party, which forced other employees to flee from the building.
Eric Allen Kirkpatrick faces one count of first-degree murder, Vancouver police said.
It was unclear when the suspect would appear in court to answer to the charge.
Benjamin David Banky, 40, of Vancouver was gunned down Friday when a man showed up at the Christmas party.
"He had a firearm with him," Vancouver Police spokesperson Tim Fanning said.
"He shot one man fatally right away."
The other people at the office party were able to escape without injury, Fanning said.
"The shock was tremendous but all the other people in the business – and a dozen other people who were there for a Christmas party – managed to get out safely," Fanning said.
The shocked party-goers were put on buses and taken to police headquarters where witness statements were taken, he said.
He said counsellors have been made available to them.
"I can't emphasize enough how traumatic this would have been for the people in there to see one of their co-workers gunned down, so we're going to do all we can to help these people though a very, very difficult time," Fanning said.
Police were called immediately and surrounded the building, Fanning said.
"We determined that there was nobody else in the building, just our victim who was deceased and the suspect," Fanning said.
What followed was a tense two hours while police negotiated a man's exit from the building.
It's not known what kind of firearm was involved.
The business where the shooting occurred is listed as TallGrass Distribution Ltd., a natural health product supplier.
Kirkpatrick was let go by his employer Thursday, Fanning said, but he did not know how long the suspect had worked at the business.
The company issued a statement Saturday evening saying it was ``deeply saddened by the tragic death of our president and CEO, Ben Banky."
It described Banky as "a compassionate and dedicated leader who will be sadly missed."
The statement said Banky co-founded the company 12 years ago.
It said the company would have no further comment while the police investigation continues.
Luke Pigeon, who lives in an apartment building next door, said he didn't hear a gunshot but was drawn to his window by a commotion outside.
"It wasn't typical, crazy noise that sometimes happens. You got the feeling there was something definitely, definitely wrong," Pigeon told The Canadian Press.
He looked out the window and saw a woman fleeing the building next door.
"All I saw was a...lady running down the block screaming," Pigeon said.
He said she ran into a nearby auto repair shop where she apparently called for help, and in what seemed like mere minutes, police were on the scene.
"All of a sudden, in my front yard there were five totally decked out, geared up riot squad officers with guns out of the holster, aiming at the second floor of the building right beside us, Pigeon said.
"I tried to open up my door and they said close your door, lock your door."
He spent the next two hours in his apartment, as police negotiated with a man and finally persuaded him to surrender.
"They cuffed him on the ground and they took him into a cruiser," Pigeon said.
"He was giving them a bit of grief, he was saying that his cuffs hurt but he was following orders."
Pigeon also commended police for their handling of the dangerous situation.
"They managed to stop any further loss of life."
Mark Pinder was working at a film studio across the street when a police officer banged at his window.
"I didn't realize it was a police officer right away because he was a plainclothes officer," Pinder said.
"But then I saw that he had a weapon drawn."
The officer told Pinder to get everyone in the basement.
Pinder and his fellow employees were just about to begin a party to celebrate the completion of a show they'd been working on.
"People grabbed a couple of bowls of chips and dip and we just sort of moved the party downstairs," Pinder said.
"Some people seemed quite concerned but there wasn't anyone freaking out or crying," Pinder said.
"Everyone was calling their family and making sure that people knew that they were OK."
Investigators in white suits were at the scene of the shooting late Friday night collecting evidence.
Worksite killings are rare, police say.
"It's something no business can prepare for," Fanning said.
