Cooper, a retired Air Force officer, had worked at the Naval Air Systems Command for nine years and was said to be preparing for a new work assignment. A neighbor speculated the job change and transition from military to civilian life may have played a role in Cooper's actions, though Cooper rarely complained about work. Federal workplace violence isn't confined to angry postal employees anymore. Today violence can hit any agency any day from any quarter for a growing laundry list of reasons. Customers erupt when service is too slow or benefits are cut.
Angry citizens find government a large, enticing target for their frustrations.
Crime seeps from city streets onto federal property and into federal buildings. Staff cuts and efforts to reinvent and reengineer operations without adding resources erode morale and eat away at employees' confidence. No one will ever know whether Cooper's pending reassignment, staff cuts at his agency or a plan to move the command out of Crystal City played a role in his actions. But stress from downsizing and restructuring is a potential source of violence among workers, according to many experts. There's a greater sense of urgency.