AURORA (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The gunman at an Aurora manufacturing plant had learned he was being terminated before he opened fire on his colleagues Friday, killing five of them and injuring several others in a shooting that has shocked the western suburbs.
The gunman, Gary Martin, 45, of the 1900 block of Selmarten Road in Aurora, also died at the scene.
He had been employed at the Henry Pratt Co. for 15 years, and was fired for several, unspecified workplace violations, said Scott Hall, CEO of Mueller Water Products, Henry Pratt's parent company. He was given a background check at the time and nothing suspicious came up. Hall spoke at a news conference late Saturday afternoon.
On Friday, Martin came to work at armed with a .40 caliber handgun, several magazines and a laser sight. On Saturday, Police Chief Kristen Ziman said that they believe he came with the understanding that he would be let go from his job that day.
Ziman said that he should not have had a gun.
All of the officers who were wounded were shot within the first five minutes of police arriving at the scene, authorities said. After that flurry of shots and with officers from throughout the region streaming in to help, Martin ran off and hid inside the 29,000-square-foot building.
Police used an armored rescue vehicle called a Bearcat to enter the building, said Aurora police Lt. Rick Robertson.
Wehner,21, was on the first day of his internship at Henry Pratt. A colleague from restaurant Tom & Jerry's, where he also worked, called him a "good kid."
Wehner was on the dean's list at NIU's business college and was on track to graduate in May with a degree in human resource management.
"He always, always was happy. I have no bad words for him. He was a wonderful person. You can't say anything but nice things about him," said Jay Wehner of his nephew.
By Saturday afternoon, offers of condolences and support came pouring in. A group called Aurora Strong opened a GoFundMe campaign for the families of all of the victims. A prayer vigil will be held Sunday at 2:30 at the manufacturing company.