Jacob Cadriel, a 28-year-old male of Hispanic ethnicity, tragically lost his life on April 1, 2015, in Alvin, Texas. He was shot by his co-worker, Steven Damien Young, at Woven Metals Products Inc., a metal shop in Alvin. The incident occurred after an argument and physical altercation between the two. Witnesses reported that Young pulled out a .380 semi-automatic pistol and shot Cadriel once in the back.
Cadriel was immediately taken to Clear Lake Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:39 p.m.
Steven Damien Young was arrested and charged with murder. He was held on a $500,000 bail and later sentenced to 45 years in prison for the crime. The investigation revealed that Young had a history of violent behavior, including previous incidents where he pulled a gun on coworkers. Despite this, Woven Metals Products Inc. failed to conduct comprehensive background checks on their employees, which could have potentially prevented this tragedy.
In the aftermath of the incident, a lawsuit was filed against Woven Metals Products Inc. on behalf of Jacob Cadriel. The lawsuit alleged that the company was negligent in providing a safe workplace and failed to listen to numerous workers who reported Young's erratic behavior. In 2017, a jury awarded over $1 million to Cadriel's family, acknowledging the company's responsibility in the unsafe working conditions that led to his death.
Jacob Cadriel was a war hero who had served two extended tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He returned home to his wife, who had obtained her nursing degree while he was away, with plans to start a large family. His tragic death left a void in the lives of his loved ones and highlighted the importance of workplace safety and proper employee screening.
