Harrowing case of a Minnesota factory worker who was gunned down outside the warehouse after repeatedly rejecting his colleague

A WOMAN was gunned down by her colleague after repeatedly refusing his advances, police officers say.

Michael Carpenter, 36, is facing second-degree murder charges for allegedly shooting his colleague Nicole Hammond, 28.

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The shooting happened just before 7 a.m. on October 24 in the parking lot of her Minnesota workplace.

Witnesses said they saw Carpenter, 36, shoot Hammond, 28, as she got out of her car.

Carpenter admitted to police that he was at the scene but fled, reports FOX9.

Police officers later searched Carpenter’s car and found a gun that matched shell casings found next to Hammond, authorities said.

Cell phone records showed the man molested the woman, prosecutors said.

A search of Hammond’s phone turned up messages in which she said she didn’t want him to “touch her” or “tamper with her.”

Hammond also reportedly asked Carpenter not to “make things awkward at work.”

Carpenter admitted in an interview to arguing with Hammond the night before the shooting.

“His advances have been repeatedly rebuffed over the past month,” the probable cause statement read, according to NBC News.

But the harassment was never reported to her employer.

“Unfortunately, we had no idea,” Hammond’s boss Rob Dubow told FOX9.

“Anytime something requires our intervention, we intervene.

“But in this case we had no indication that anything was wrong.”

Meanwhile, colleagues told the police that Carpenter was in a bad mood.

Dubow added that Hammond is a great collaborator.

“Nicole always had a smile on her face and everyone who had anything to do with her couldn’t help but like her,” he said.

An obituary for the woman said she was in the process of starting her own jewelry business.

“Nikki was a very talented writer and also enjoyed working on her car with her father Steve,” the statement said.

“Nikki loved hiking, kayaking, photography, beadwork, travel and the ocean. She eventually wanted to move to Fort Meyers, Florida.

“Nikki will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”

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