Bruce Foster, the man accused in last year’s deadly shooting at the KDC/One warehouse in New Albany, is set to return to a Licking County courtroom Tuesday morning, as judges, doctors and lawyers continue to wrestle with his mental competency, a raft of felony charges and a parallel civil lawsuit stemming from the Feb. 4, 2025 attack.
According to WBNS, Foster is scheduled to appear in Licking County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The county docket lists Judge David Branstool as presiding and identifies attorney Brandon Shroy as Foster’s counsel, as reflected in the Licking County court portal.
Shooting, charges and arrest
Prosecutors say Foster opened fire inside the KDC/One cosmetics facility on Feb. 4, 2025, killing two co-workers and injuring four others, a shooting that rattled employees at the production site at 8825 Smith's Mill Road in New Albany. He was arrested the following day and initially held on a $20 million bond, according to AP. Court records later showed that a grand jury returned an indictment charging Foster with multiple counts tied to the attack, as reported by WOSU.
Competency, plea and legal timeline
Foster’s attorneys have entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and he has undergone repeated psychiatric evaluations as the criminal case grinds forward. In May 2025, a Licking County judge ordered him hospitalized after two forensic psychiatrists concluded he was not competent to stand trial, according to the Newark Advocate. Prosecutors have sought additional evaluations, and the court has continued to set status hearings while doctors file reports and the judge weighs those findings.
Lawsuit and safety allegations
On a separate legal track, families of victims have filed a civil lawsuit naming KDC/One, its security contractor and Foster, alleging the 2025 shooting should never have happened. The complaint claims management and onsite security ignored warning signs and failed to act, and that supervisors were aware of erratic behavior in the weeks before the attack yet did not properly enforce security procedures, according to reporting from WOSU.
Legal implications
Foster is charged with aggravated murder and related offenses. Under Ohio law, aggravated murder is a capital offense that can result in a death sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole, as outlined in the state’s statutes. For now, the case is largely consumed by competency questions and procedural steps while prosecutors and defense lawyers trade motions and expert reports. Those moves will ultimately determine whether, and when, a jury is seated, consistent with state law and court rules, including provisions in the Ohio Revised Code.
What to watch next
Tuesday’s hearing is expected to generate a brief status entry on the public docket rather than any dramatic courtroom fireworks. Members of the public and reporters can track developments on the Licking County online portal, which posts case filings and calendar updates. The Licking County Common Pleas Courthouse, at 1 Courthouse Square in Newark, has hosted prior hearings in the case, and local outlets say they will be watching the day’s docket closely for any new orders or scheduling shifts.
