John Barnett, former Boeing employee who raised safety concerns about the world's largest aerospace company's production standards, was found dead in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday.
In a release, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office said Barnett died from "what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” The police officials said they are investigating the matter to determine the formal cause of death.
According to a statement provided to CNN by his lawyer, Barnett's death occurred amidst a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which was nearing completion. The lawyer insisted that they don't see any indication that Barnett would take his own life, adding that “we need more information about what happened to John.”
His family told NPR the case was scheduled for trial in June, and that Barnett was looking forward to appearing in the court, hoping that "it would force Boeing to change its culture."
Also Read: Who was John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower mysteriously found dead in US?
John Barnett vs Boeing
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Who was John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower mysteriously found dead in US?
John Barnett vs Boeing
{{/usCountry}}In 2019, Barnett accused Boeing of ignoring safety concerns he raised with supervisors about slashing corners and using shoddy components to manufacture planes. Boeing has refuted Barnett's assertions.
Barnett said workers at a plant in South Carolina often installed substandard components on planes. He additionally reported about defective oxygen systems, which might lead to oxygen masks not functioning effectively. Barnett even recalled an instance at the factory where employees reprocessed scrap bin parts and fixed them into planes.
Before his death, Barnett had been providing proof in the case against Boeing.
He had been appearing in legal interviews related to the case and was set to face additional questions on Saturday. As he did not appear for the grilling on Saturday, investigators went to his hotel, where he was found dead inside his car that was stationed at the hotel parking lot.
After his demise, Boeing in a statement expressed sadness and offered condolences to his friends and family members.
Barnett's sudden death has sparked several concerns with many questioning Boeing over their former employee's sudden death and hoping that officials conduct a genuine probe.
Sharing a video of Barnett speaking to TMZ about the case against Boeing, X user Collin Rugg wrote: "When he died, Barnett was in Charleston for interviews linked to a case against Boeing. He was supposed to come back for more questioning on Saturday but did not show up... Police are investigating Barnett's death but say he died from a "self-inflicted" wound...Totally normal."
Without naming Boeing, another X user Matt Wallace wrote that Barnett was found dead in his car as he was “about to expose their entire money laundering operation”.
Robert F. Kennedy, the independent presidential candidate, claimed that Boeing “worked to destroy his life after he exposed safety concerns”.
"John Barnett worked for Boeing for 32 years. The company worked to destroy his life after he exposed safety concerns. I'm proud that my sister Rory worked to tell his story in her award winning documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. Boeing killed 346 people out of greed. Let's hope there is a genuine investigation of John Barnett's 'suicide'," Kennedy wrote on X.
A look at series of Boeing incidents
In a tragic incident on Monday, at least 50 people were injured after a Chilean LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner "dropped" midair while flying from Australia to New Zealand.
According to an ambulance representative, twelve patients were brought to the hospital when the jet landed in Auckland, with one suspected to be in serious condition.
The reason for the plane's abrupt dive is still unknown and is being investigated by New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
In January, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Portland after its door panel blew off in midair, creating an enormous hole in the plane.
Shortly after its takeoff on March 4, Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Houston, Texas, following an engine fire.
Last Wednesday, a Boeing 737-800 made an emergency landing in Portland International Airport after passengers in the plane reported smelling “some fumes or an odor.”
A tyre dropped off a Boeing 777-200 as it lifted off from San Francisco, demolishing a car. The jet was destined for Japan, but it was rerouted to Los Angeles.
On March 8, a Boeing 737 MAX skidded off the Houston runway and got stranded in the grass.
Boeing has been facing severe criticism over its safety performance following two deadly crashes that claimed the lives of 189 people in Indonesia in 2018 and 157 people in Ethiopia in 2019.
Boeing 737 MAX jets were grounded globally for nearly two years following the tragedies.