Warehouse shooter let worker live

The Journal Gazette

August 29, 2003

"Do you want me to tie you up, or do you want to die? "The voice belonged to Salvador Tapia, a co-worker who had been fired from the warehouse six months earlier."I said, `Tie me up.' I didn't want to die," Sanchez said.

Fired worker kills 6, dies in shootout with Chicago Police

The Journal Gazette

August 28, 2003

A man who was fired from his job at an auto parts company six months ago returned Wednesday with a handgun and shot six former co-workers, killing them all, authorities said. He then waged a gunbattle with police before a SWAT team member fatally wounded him. Salvador Tapia, 36, who had been arrested a dozen times on weapons, assault and other charges, died after being transported to a hospital, police said. Four of his victims died at the scene - slain among a maze of engine parts, crates and 55-gallon drums.

Fired worker fatally shoots 6, then is slain by cops

Philadelphia Daily News

August 28, 2003

A man who had been fired from an auto-parts warehouse six months ago came back with a gun yesterday and killed six employees in a rampage through a maze of engine blocks and 55-gallon drums before being fatally shot by police. Salvador Tapia died in a gun battle he waged with police inside and outside of the building, hiding behind a container as he fired rounds from his semiautomatic pistol, authorities said. "He got up, he had the gun, they ordered him to drop the gun, he refused...

7 dead, including gunman, after shooting at Chicago warehouse

August 28, 2003

CHICAGO (AP) — A man fired from an auto parts warehouse six months ago came back with a gun Wednesday and killed six people in a rampage through a maze of engine blocks and 55-gallon drums before being shot to death by police. The dead included two brothers who owned the business and one of their sons along with three other co-workers. Only one of the employees inside the building at the time of the shooting survived — he was inexplicably tied up by gunman Salvador Tapia.

7 Dead In Chicago Rampage

Alleged Gunman Among Dead In Shootout At Auto Parts Warehouse

CBS News

Chicago, Aug. 27, 2003

Seven people were reported dead Wednesday after a gun battle between police and a man described as an angry ex-employee of an auto parts company on Chicago's South Side.

The gunman, who was among the dead, has been identified as 36-year-old Salvador Tapia, reports CBS News Correspondent Cynthia Bowers. Fired six months ago, Tapia showed up at Windy City Core Supply with a semi-automatic handgun and went on a rampage, apparently seeking revenge.

Tapia ran through a maze of engine blocks and 55-gallon drums before being shot to death by police. He died in a gun battle he waged with police inside and outside of the building, hiding behind a container as he fired off rounds from his semiautomatic pistol, authorities said.

"We saw a guy shooting at police officers outside the building and saw people running around like crazy," said Al Martinez, who owns a business a half-block away. "We came and saw all the cops running, hiding behind cars."

Tapia, 36, lost his job about six months ago for causing trouble at work and frequently showing up late or not at all, Acting Police Superintendent Phil Cline said. He said Tapia had an extensive arrest record.

Cline said when police arrived shortly after 8:30 a.m., they tried to get in the building but were driven back by gunfire. He said when an assault team entered the building they had trouble maneuvering through all the auto parts.

Tapia also tied one man's hands behind his back, but the employee escaped unharmed, Cline said.

He said four people died at the scene. Tapia and two others were taken to hospitals and died there.

Pamela George was cooking at the Dox Grill across the street when a warehouse worker ran in, looking for a phone. "He said someone was in there shooting. He was really scared, like a chicken with its head cut off," she said.

She said police arrived and evacuated the restaurant within five minutes. All buildings within a block of the auto parts and supply store were evacuated.

It was the nation's deadliest workplace shooting since July 8, when Doug Williams shot 14 co-workers, killing six, at a Lockheed Martin aircraft parts plant in Meridian, Miss., before taking his own life.

In the Chicago area, William D. Baker, 66, killed four people and himself at a Navistar International engine plant in suburban Melrose Park in February 2001.

Warehouse Became Deathtrap

There were seven crosses Thursday morning outside the auto parts warehouse where a former employee shot and killed six other people before getting into a gun battle with police and being killed.

One of the crosses, representing gunman Salvador Tapia, is off by itself, 25 feet from the others, reports Bernie Tafoya of CBS radio station WBBM-AM. The other six are surrounded by flowers.

The auto-parts warehouse, with only one entrance, was a maze of crates and 55-gallon drums. So when Tapia walked in and started shooting, police said he had effectively cornered all those inside.

After fatally shooting six, including two brothers who owned Windy City Core Supply Inc., Tapia went outside Wednesday morning and opened fire on police.

A team of officers followed the 36-year-old back inside, where he refused to drop his semiautomatic pistol. Hiding behind a box, Tapia again fired at police before an officer fatally shot him, acting Police Superintendent Phil Cline said.

Tapia was fired six months ago for causing trouble at work and frequently showing up late or not at all, Cline said. He said Tapia had since made threatening calls to the owners.

Four of the warehouse workers died at the scene; Tapia and two others died at hospitals. Police believe the victims were shot before officers arrived.

"Once he's inside and by that front door, he's got them cornered," Cline said.

One employee in the building survived ? he was inexplicably tied up by Tapia but escaped and called 911, police said. As he fled, he warned another employee who was just arriving for work not to go inside.

A third employee also escaped Tapia's rampage because of a chain of events that included an accident on the Eisenhower Expressway that killed two people. The company's third owner, Robert Bruggeman, didn't arrive until it was all over.

"Thank goodness he offered to take my daughter to school," his wife, Helen Bruggeman, told WGN-TV. "He stopped for coffee like he always does. He was on the expressway, it was backed up, and by the time he got there this had all taken place already."

Police said they received calls about shots fired shortly after 8:30 a.m. The worker who escaped ran across the street to the Dox Grill looking for a phone, where waitress Pamela George was working.

"He said someone was in there shooting. He was really scared, like a chicken with its head cut off," she said.

Police evacuated all buildings within a block of the warehouse, where old auto parts were refurbished for sale to mechanics and auto dealers.

"We saw a guy shooting at police officers outside the building and saw people running around like crazy," said Al Martinez, who owns a business a half-block away. "We came and saw all the cops running, hiding behind cars."

Cline said Tapia had been arrested 12 times, dating back to a conviction in 1989 for unlawful use of a weapon and multiple domestic battery and aggravated assault arrests.

The victims identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office included brothers Alan Weiner, 50, of Wilmette, and Howard Weiner, 59, of Northbrook. Daniel Weiner, 30, Howard's son, was also killed, officials said.

Speaking for the Weiner family, Rabbi Brant Rosen said, "They really want to say that this is a horrible tragedy for them, and they are depending on one another for support."

The other victims were identified as Calvin Ramsey, 44, Robert Taylor, 53, and Juan Valles, 34, all of Chicago.

Taylor had been married more than 20 years with four children and served as the deacon of his church, said his sister, Minnie Taylor.

"He was well loved, well liked," she said. "His smile, his kindness, he always had something kind to say."

Salvador Tapia