A nightmare became reality for the employees at the Kroger on North Hubbards Lane when 34-year-old Jack Combs was murdered Nov. 23 after his shift.

Combs, a beloved 18-year employee, was shot while walking to his car in the store’s parking lot. While an arrest was made in January, what happens to a workplace when a coworker is the victim of such a tragedy?

“The death of a coworker is one of the most traumatizing things that can happen to a workplace,” said Caroline Miklosh, a student in the psychology doctoral program at Indiana State University. “The performance of employees is definitely inhibited, and it can also affect their personal lives. The death of anybody – much less someone you are close to – is one of the hardest things for humans to go through. Employees will understandably not go to work, and if they do show up, they won’t be anywhere near as productive.”

Trinity senior Kyle Smith, an employee at the Kroger, said the death of Combs shocked the entire workplace and was very upsetting.

“It’s just really messed up and surreal,” Smith said. “The next couple of weeks after his death were very hard. Everyone was just astonished and really, really sad.”

Smith went on to say he did notice some changed behavior after Combs’ death. He said, “A lot of people were just so surprised they called in sick or didn’t try hard at all.”

Smith said the grieving process is similar to when a loved one dies. “Everyone has their own way of dealing with things like this,” he said. “Some people need to keep busy, some people need to be alone, some people need to exercise and some people just need to talk to someone. Running is very comforting for me. Running clears my mind, and I can focus on things better. Without running, this would have been much more troubling to deal with.”

Male High senior Patrick Tillman, an employee of the Kroger at the time of Combs’ death, said the public was very consoling and supportive.

Tillman said, “So many people just wished us all well. It comforted me knowing so many people had my back in a hard time. After a tragedy, little things like that can make your day so much better.”

Tillman noted that while the store seemed as busy as usual, the atmosphere was affected. “The store was still just as busy as normal afterwards,” he said. “People still need their groceries. Most customers came and shopped at our store nonetheless, but I’m sure they all felt the somber atmosphere. Most customers didn’t know what had happened but could still feel something in the air.”

A frequent customer at the Kroger, Samantha Jenkins, said she noticed changes to the employees and the workplace in general after the incident: “All the employees seemed slower and more lethargic than before. They were also less willing to help me, and a lot of them seemed like they did not want to be there.  I don’t blame them, but it is noticeable. I feel very sorry for everyone who works here. It’s very traumatizing and my heart goes out to all the employees.”

Sarah McDaniels, another frequent customer at the Kroger, said she noticed much higher security. “I saw a lot of cops inside the store and even more outside. It does make me feel much safer while I’m shopping. It really makes me happy that someone took steps to ensure my well-being.”

McDaniels said the death did not make her want to shop at other places. She said, “I still much prefer Kroger over other places like Wal-Mart. I’m not going to be scared off. The selection and prices are much better, and what happened isn’t going to stop me from doing what is convenient.”