Not long after 13:00, Gary Montez Martin, a disgruntled former-employee of manufacturing company Henry Pratt, “opened fire during a meeting to terminate his employment at the company, authorities have said” (Chicago Tribune). The first emergency call was received at 13:24, and by 13:30, officers were moving into the building. Four officers were shot upon entering, and later a fifth would be shot, though no officers were killed. After an hour and a half and an exchange of gunfire, the gunman was shot and killed by police.
Martin held a previous felony conviction of aggravated assault in 1995 in Mississippi. In 2014 he was issued a firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card in Illinois, and purchased a handgun. During a concealed-carry permit background check his felony was discovered and his application was rejected. Martin was told to voluntarily relinquish his firearm, however, he somehow maintained possession of the handgun. Authorities are investigating the reason his gun was not confiscated. (CNN)
Date of event: February 15, 2019
Impact:
- 5 fatalities (not including gunman)
- 6 non-fatal injuries
Related Resources:
- Viewpoints in Homeland Defense and Security: Responding to High-Risk Active Shooters
- Workplace Violence & Active Shooter Prevention
- Study of the Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States Between 2000 and 2013
- Managing the Threat of Workplace Violence
HSDL Featured Topic: Active Shooters | Workplace Violence
HSDL Search: Active Shooter | Workplace Violence