Aurora marks 4 years since deadly Henry Pratt mass shooting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In west suburban Aurora, it was standing-room-only on Wednesday at a memorial ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of a deadly mass shooting at the Henry Pratt Company.
The timing was lost on no one, coming one day after Northern Illinois University marked the 15th anniversary of their own mass shooting, and two days after three students were killed and five others wounded in a mass shooting at Michigan State University.
CBS 2's Sara Machi spoke with two fathers who said they're frustrated to see history repeat itself.
Henry Pratt might have closed the Aurora office and facility that was the site of the mass shooting last May, but for the families who lost loved ones there four years ago, they said they never close the doors on their pain.
Wednesday morning's memorial included prayers, flowers, candles, and tears; a pain still clearly visible four years later.
Investigators say an angry employee pulled out a gun on Feb. 15, 2019, killing five coworkers, and wounding another. He also shot and wounded five police officers who responded to the shooting before he was killed in a shootout with police.
The scenario feels all too familiar now.
"So here we are for years later, still surrounded by all of this pain, and now we're daily hearing of all these other communities that are experiencing similar events in their schools and in the streets. Tragic horrific events," said former Henry Pratt employee Anita Lewis.
Thomas Wehner lost his son, Trevor, saying he watched this week as other communities – like Michigan State University and Northern Illinois University – marked their own loss.
"That never goes away," Wehner said. "It's devastating for those families. I mean, I know what they've gone through. I wish I could be there. I wish I could comfort them. I really do. I mean, it's a tragedy for anybody that has to go through this."
Ted Beyer, whose son Russell was killed at Henry Pratt, said he was at a memorial for the first time – he said he's just as angry as the day it happened.
"You can have all the gun legislation you want. If you don't take care of workplace violence, and the company and the unions ignore it, you're gonna have death," he said.
Organizers said they're working on a bigger ceremony for the 5th anniversary next year, with a larger venue, with the goal of having all five families represented and the five responding officers who were injured.