CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The halls of Barku Plastics went silent this Monday when two well‑loved team members — vice‑president Ivan Aldergot and production manager Tobias Gleinig — were gunned down in what authorities are calling a shocking act of workplace violence.
It was just after 10:00 a.m. when officers from the Cleveland Police Department responded to reports of gunfire at the company’s facility off Old Chattanooga Pike. Inside, they discovered the bodies of Aldergot and Gleinig — two men described by their colleagues as not just coworkers, but mentors, friends, and family.
As investigators began piecing together what happened, they tracked a vehicle to a residence in nearby Bradley County, said to be linked to the suspect. After hours, a SWAT team used drones and a robot to enter the house and found the suspect dead from an apparently self‑inflicted gunshot wound. Local police say the suspect was reportedly “in the process of being terminated” from the company at the time of the shooting.
In its own statement, the German‑owned firm expressed deep sorrow. “It is with great shock and deep sorrow that we inform you today of the violent deaths of our two colleagues, Ivan Aldergot and Tobias Gleinig … we are all deeply affected by this senseless act,” the company wrote.
At the plant, grief was immediate and heartfelt. Employees gathered throughout the day, placing candles and flowers outside the facility and leaning on one another as the reality of the loss set in. “They were family,” said one coworker. “Not just coworkers — people we counted on every day.”
Online fundraising pages and tributes paint vivid portraits of the two men. Aldergot is described as a devoted father of two, happiest out in nature or helping someone in need. Gleinig was a steady force behind the scenes, always giving his all for his “work family” and beyond. The bond between them, their coworkers say, was more than professional: they shared laughter, laid‑back camaraderie, and a genuine care for everyone around them.
As the investigation continues, Barku Plastics says it will provide support and counseling services for its workforce and stand by the families of the victims during this unimaginable time. In the meantime, the community of Cleveland, Tenn., mourns two men whose lives made a quiet but profound difference — and whose loss has left a void that can’t easily be filled.
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