Michael McLendon Had A Hit List

Coffee County's District Attorney says the man who killed 10 people during Tuesday's shooting rampage had a hit list at his home.

News 5's Pat Peterson spoke with D.A. Gary McAliley at Michael McLendon's home in Kinston. McAliley says police found a list of people McLendon held grudges against along with ammo at the home.

McAiley believes the shooting rampage would've been worse if police and state troopers did not intervene when they did.

“We believe he was trying to kill some folks there at Reliable Metal Products, but he got shot in the shoulder,” McAliley said. “He was loaded to bear. He had two pistols in his pockets and two assault rifles. It’s our opinion he saw that it was over and put the pistol in his mouth and pulled the trigger.”

McLendon quit his job last Wednesday at Kelley Foods of Alabama, a meat packing plant in Elba. That only made his serious financial problems worse. McAiley says they believe the stress of the money trouble, combined with the bad economy, caused McLendon to snap.

Investigators say McLendon was briefly employed by the Samson Police Department in 2003 but failed to complete the academy.

During the shooting spree, police say McLendon fired approximately 200 rounds from two assault rifles, a shotgun and a .38 caliber handgun.