Gunman in deadly workplace shooting should not have owned weapon, police say
A gunman opened fire inside an Illinois manufacturing company Friday, killing five workers and injuring several police officers in the rampage, authorities said. Local police identified the gunman as 45-year-old Gary Martin, who died in a shootout with officers.
The attack triggered a heavy police response in Aurora, a city of about 200,000 people roughly 40 miles from Chicago.
Fast Facts:
- Police said the shooter, Gary Martin, was previously arrested six times by local police and had a felony conviction in Mississippi
- He should not have had the gun he used in the shooting, according to police
- The five people who were killed in the attack have been identified
- Five officers who had gunfire-related injuries are recovering
- Martin started shooting after he was fired, police said
Follow live updates below:
Vigils planned to honor victims
At least three vigils are planned to honor the victims of the shooting. The The City of Lights Community Prayer Vigil at the Henry Pratt Company on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 2:30 p.m. A prayer vigil will be held near the Pratt Building at 5 p.m.
An #AuroraStrong vigil will be held Monday at a location yet to be determined.
The five people killed Friday in the shooting at Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois, included a human resources manager, a mold operator who served as union chairman and a 21-year-old intern on his first day. Some of their stories are now coming to light.
Background check was done on Martin, CEO says
The CEO of Mueller Water Company, the parent company of Henry Pratt, said Saturday that a background check had been performed on Gary Martin. CEO Scott Hall said all employees are welcome back on Monday, but he does not expect there to be anything produced.
Hall confirmed Martin was being terminated on Friday, but he became emotional when asked about the protocol regarding the intern being in the room.
Shooter brought gun to meeting where he was being fired
Gary Martin brought his firearm to a meeting where he was being fired on Friday, according to authorities. He likely knew it was possible he was going to be terminated from his longtime job at the Henry Pratt Company since he brought the weapon, said Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman.
She said he started shooting right after he was fired.
Police chief says shooter should not have owned weapon
Aurora Police Chief Kristin Ziman said Saturday that the gunman bought the Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun he used in Friday's attack back in 2014, weeks after he was issued a Firearm Owner's Identification Card (FOID Card).
Days after he got the weapon, he applied for a concealed carry permit. "During the finger printing and background process, it was discovered that he had a felony conviction for aggravated assault out of Mississippi," Ziman said.
"It should be noted that this conviction would not necessarily have shown up on a criminal background check conducted for a FOID card," she said. "Once this felony conviction was discovered, the offender's conceal and carry permit was rejected and his FOID Card was revoked by the Illinois state police."
Speaking later at the same press conference, Ziman said, "Absolutely, he was not supposed to be in possession of a firearm."
She also said there was a laser on the weapon.
Five people killed in shooting identified
The five workers who were killed Friday at the manufacturing company in Aurora were identified by authorities Saturday as:
- Clayton Parks, human resources manager
- Trevor Wehner, Northern Illinois University student and human resources intern
- Russell Beyer, mold operator
- Vincent Juarez, stock room attendant and fork lift operator
- Josh Pinkard, plant manager
They were found in the same general area of the manufacturing facility, Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said at a morning press conference.
"All five of our officers are recovering"
Five officers who sustained gunfire-related injuries in Friday's shooting are recovering Saturday, according to authorities.
The five officers were identified as men between the ages of 23 and 53 who have served for between three and 30 years. Their names were not released.
A sixth officer who sustained a minor injury while responding to the shooting was identified as a 23-year-old man with two years of police service.
Gunman was arrested 6 times by local police
Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said at a press conference Saturday that the gunman in the shooting, Gary Martin, had six prior arrests by the Aurora Police Department.
He had faced charges including domestic battery-related counts.
Neighbor says gunman "always kept to himself”
Law enforcement officers on Friday surrounded the apartment building that the gunman called home. CBS Chicago reported that a bomb squad searched Gary Martin's place in Aurora and left nothing unturned.
Jennifer White, a neighbor, told CBS Chicago she realized what was going on with Martin when she saw authorities surround his vehicle. She said Martin "always kept to himself," but that she didn't notice any red flags, according to the station.
"He seemed perfectly fine," White said. "I've seen him out there ... with his drones."
READ MORE: Neighbor on gunman in deadly workplace shooting: "He always kept to himself"
All deceased victims are male, all wounded officers are male
The five people killed were all men who worked at the company, Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said. All the wounded officers are also men, she said.
The victims' identities were not yet released pending family notification.
Police give updated timeline
Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said late Friday that at 1:24 p.m., police received multiple calls of an active shooter at the Henry Pratt manufacturing and warehouse building. Approximately 4 minutes later the officers arrived on scene and were immediately confronted by Gary Martin, a 45-year-old man armed with a handgun.
Martin fired on officers, striking two of the four first responders. The first officer was struck outside the building, and Ziman said the others were inside the building.
As additional Aurora officers arrived on scene, they heard gunfire throughout the building.
Regional law enforcement response was coordinated and several teams of officers went inside the 29,000-square-foot facility in an attempt to locate and stop the shooter. Aurora officers along with officers from nearby Naperville Police Department ultimately confronted the offender inside the building at which time he fired at them. The officers returned fire, killing the offender.
The full incident lasted approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes, Ziman said.
Officers have recovered one handgun, a Smith & Wesson.
Request for information
Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said family members who are seeking information should contact auroravictimsasst@fbi.gov. Anyone with tips should contact aurorashootingtips@fbi.gov.
Shooter was being terminated from company day of shooting
The shooter was a 15-year employee of the Henry Pratt Co. and police believe he was being terminated Friday, Aurora police chief Kristen Ziman said at a press conference late Friday.
Police said it's unclear if Martin brought his gun to work or went home to retrieve it. All of the people killed were employees of the company, police said.
Photo emerges of suspect
Police have identified Gary Martin, 45, who is believed to be an employee of the company, as the shooter. Investigators have obtained a search warrant of his residence.
5 victims dead, police chief says
Five victims are dead after the shooting, Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said at a press conference Friday evening. She said police do not have the identities of the deceased.
Five officers were also struck by gunfire and were taken to local hospitals. Two were later airlifted to Chicago-area trauma centers. A sixth officer was being treated for a knee injury, Ziman said.
CBS News has learned that all officers who were shot Friday have non-life threatening injuries.
"I want to take this opportunity to send positive energy to those officers who are being treated and to the officers and medics who showed up from all over the state to render aid," Ziman said.
Shooter identified as 45-year-old
CBS News learned that the shooter is 45-year-old Gary Martin of Aurora.
Police later confirmed his identity in a news conference and said authorities engaged in gunfire with him when he was located, killing him.
John Probst told a local Chicago station that he works at the facility where the shooting unfolded, the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, and he said the shooter worked there, too.
Police later said they believe Martin was employed by the company.
School district lifts "soft lockdown"
West Aurora School District 129 said it had an "all clear" to lift a "soft lockdown" that went into effect earlier Friday as reports of the shooting unfolded.
It said in a Facebook post it was dismissing students at several schools in 40-minute intervals.
At least one person is dead
Kane County Coroner Rob Russell said there was at least one fatality Friday. No details were immediately released about the identity of the deceased.
"Shooter is no longer a threat to the area"
Police in Aurora said the shooter is no longer a threat and that the "Active Shooter Incident has been secured."
They urged parents to contact their local school districts for plans on students' dismissal.
Medical centers receive patients
The Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora said it has received two patients who are being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The Mercy Medical Center, located in the city, also said it has two people from the incident but did not confirm their identities or conditions.
Shooter apprehended, city says
The City of Aurora posted an update on social media saying the shooter has been apprehended.
"EMERGENCY UPDATE," it tweeted just after 3 p.m. local time. "THE SHOOTER HAS BEEN APPREHENDED! The area is still on lock down! More information will be provided soon."
FBI and ATF are responding
The FBI and the Chicago division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are responding to the scene of the shooting.
Local school district holding students in place
West Aurora School District 129 said in a Facebook post it is holding all district students in place as a result of reports of an active shooter at a building belonging to a manufacturing company, Henry Pratt.
"Per directions from the county sheriff, the District has been advised to go into soft lockdown situation across the district," it said.
"Teaching will continue with reduced movement. Normal operations will resume when the soft lockdown has been lifted. No one will be allowed to leave or enter our buildings until the lockdown has been lifted."