Ten Years Later: #HesstonStrong coverage

By Chad Frey

Newton Kansan

Feb. 26, 2016, a lone man entered Excel Industries of Hesston and opened fire.

The first police officer on the scene, then Hesston Chief Doug Schroeder, shot and killed the
shooter inside the building.

In the aftermath of the shooting incidents four people were dead — three of them victims of the shooter
and the shooter himself. Another 14 people were injured, 10 critically.

The shootings began randomly, starting near the gunman’s home in Newton. On his way to Hesston he he fired on random cars he met. The first shooting occurred at about 4:57 p.m. on North Meridian Road in Newton near 12th Street. Witnesses told The Kansan they could hear the shots a half-mile away. There were two shootings and one injury on Meridian.

At Excel Industries Renee Benjamin, 30; Joshua Higbee, 31, Brian Sadowsky, 44, gunman Cedric Ford, 38 of Newton, died.

In 2018 Schroeder was honored by President Donald Trump with the Medal of Valor for his actions during the tragedy.

The following photo gallery pages from The Newton Kansan for the day and week following the tragedy.