Minneapolis firm shooting: Difference between revisions

A shooting occurred at a firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the afternoon of Thursday, September 27, 2012. The attack took place inside Accent Signage Systems, where a former employee walked inside the firm's building and fired shots. By the end of the day, five people were dead, including the gunman, who committed suicide, and four others were injured, three of them critically. One of those critically injured died the following day, and another man succumbed to his wounds on October 10. It was the deadliest workplace shooting in Minnesota's history.

The shooting took place at Accent Signage Systems, a sign-making business located in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Minneapolis, west of Interstate 394. Andrew John Engeldinger, a former employee of the firm who had just been told he was losing his job, responded with "oh really" and took out a Glock 19 9mm handgun from his holster and opened fire.^[2] The first 911 phone calls made from the business were at 4:35 p.m., when someone called in saying gunshots were being fired. The first officers that arrived on scene managed to escort some people out of the building during the assail. The shooting killed five people, one of whom died the next day. Three others were treated at Hennepin County Medical Center, two of them for critical injuries. Engeldinger died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a warehouse in the workplace's basement.^[1][3][4]

The six victims killed (not counting the perpetrator) are: Reuven Rahamim, 61, the founder of the company; a UPS driver who had initially been on a delivery, Keith Basinski, 50; and three who were identified by the medical examiner's office: Rami Cooks, 62; Ronald Edberg, 58, and Jacob Beneke, 34. A sixth fatal victim, Eric Rivers, died on October 10.^[5][1][6]

Two other company executives, director of operations John Souter and production manager Eric Rivers, were in critical condition as of September 28. A person who was in stable condition after the shooting was treated at Hennepin County Medical Center and released on September 28. Rivers was taken off life support succumbed to his wounds on October 10.^{[1] [7]}

The perpetrator was identified as Andrew John Engeldinger, a 36-year-old Minneapolis resident. He was formerly employed by Accent Signage Systems, but recently lost his job from the business.^[1][6] Early reports that he began shooting upon returning after being fired were incorrect, authorities said Friday, according to the NBC article. He was in the front office after being fired, and then went to the loading bay, and authorities said there were clear indications he may have targeted certain people.

Governor Mark Dayton described the shooting as "senseless," and "there is no place for it anywhere in Minnesota."^[4] Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak visited Accent Signage along with U.S. Representative Keith Ellison recently before the shooting. Rybak stated that, "we are deeply sorry about what has happened here," and adding that it was "a horrible tragedy."^[1]