EMBED >More News Videos The Aurora Police Chief spoke about Friday's mass shooting at a press conference. EMBED >More News Videos Governor JB Pritzker spoke at a press conference on a mass shooting in Aurora. EMBED >More News Videos Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin spoke at a press conference on Friday's mass shooting. EMBED >More News Videos Investigators are combing the apartment of gunman Gary Martin, after he killed 5 people and injured at least 11 more, including 5 police officers, in a workplace shooting. EMBED >More News Videos John Probst, who works at Henry Pratt Company, describes the shooting at his workplace in Aurora and how he escaped. EMBED >More News Videos The Henry Pratt Company is located amongst residences in Aurora, and the people who live near the plant were shaken by Friday's mass shooting. EMBED >More News Videos Homeowner Gabriel lives behind the scene of the shooting in Aurora and describes how and why he let several survivors into his home after they escaped. My heart breaks for Aurora. I'm tracking updates on the situation with my staff. Thank you to the members of law enforcement who are responding to the emergency. — Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) February 15, 2019 Great job by law enforcement in Aurora, Illinois. Heartfelt condolences to all of the victims and their families. America is with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2019 AURORA, Ill. -- Five people are dead, five City of Aurora police officers were shot, and at least six others were injured in a workplace mass shooting in west suburban Aurora Friday afternoon. The gunman is also dead, police said.Aurora police said officers first responded to the Henry Pratt Company in the 400-block of South Highland Avenue just before 1:30 p.m. Police said two of the four first officers on the scene were fired upon immediately. More officers arrived as backup and were also fired upon.ATF and FBI agents responded to the scene at approximately 2:37 p.m.Police said five officers were shot and injured. They are in stable condition Friday night, officials said. Police said they found five civilians dead inside the building.A SWAT force entered the 29,000 square foot building and found the gunman, identified as 45-year-old Gary Martin.Police said the officers engaged Martin in gunfire and he was killed. It was not immediately clear if Martin was killed by a police bullet or his own gun. "There are no words for the kind of evil that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, their futures," said Governor JB Pritzker, who also attended the press briefing. "Our hearts go out to the victims in this horrific tragedy. Our prayers to their families during what I'm sure will be a long and painful healing process. But we will heal. We will come together as one community and stand by those in pain from today's great loss. We will stand together with those officers shot in the line of duty. We will come together and heal as One Aurora," said Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.Martin was a veteran assemblyman at the century-old valve plant. Law enforcement sources told the ABC7 I-Team he was summoned to a meeting room where he was told he was being fired. He responded with a pistol, opening fire on the executives in the room, and then took his anger to the plant floor where dozens of his coworkers were still on the lines. "Next thing you know, he went walking back in front and we heard more shots and that's when we just left the building, and he started opening up on the room and he was just shooting everybody," said John Probst, witness and survivor, who has worked at the plant for 40 years.There would have been approximately 30 people in the building at the time of the shooting, Probst said.Police said in addition to the five people killed, only one other person was shot. A total of six people were taken to area hospitals for treatment with non-life threatening injuries, some of which may have been sustained as they tried to escape the shooter.The I-Team has learned that Martin has a criminal background, and that he was convicted in 1995 for aggravated assault, a felony, in Mississippi and served two and a half years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. It was not immediately known if he had a criminal record in Illinois.There was a large law enforcement presence at Martin's apartment as investigators try to determine his motive and whether any part of this attack may have been planned. SWAT teams and a bomb squad swarmed the parking lot of the otherwise nondescript apartment complex. "You never know who you're living with," said Patrick, a neighbor.Technicians worked with a robot, sending it into the gunman's apartment to look for anything, perhaps hazardous, that might give them a clue as to what led up to the shooting.Investigators are trying to piece together a clearer picture of who Martin is. "He didn't seem odd," Patrick said. "He kind of kept to himself. Never really saw him with anybody. Just kind of strange. ""People are saying like he's weird. He wasn't weird. He's a good person," said Sherry Spears.With tears running down her face, Spears described Martin - who she called Ted - as a kind, old friend. "Just in school, we hung out in school. Knowing him, he left town and came back, but he ain't no bad person," she said.While investigators search his belonging and electronics for clues, Spears offered a little insight. "People are tired, depressed, so much going on. I wish the city of Aurora had something for people with mental health," she said.Employees at Henry Pratt were kept on lockdown in another building well into the evening, but were allowed to leave around 8 p.m. after every corner of the facility was deemed secure by heavily-armed SWAT teams and K-9 units.When they left, some carried their lunch cooler like any other day, and another employee carried Valentine's Day roses and a "happy birthday" gift bag. "It cuts really deep, really deep. I have no words to express it, what the families are going through or what the officers are going through," said Rhonda Morris, lives nearby.Mueller Water Products, the parent company of Henry Pratt, released a statement, saying:The sound of gunfire and police sires had neighbors too scared to go outside of their homes for most of the afternoon. "It sounded like a machine gun," said a neighbor named Maria.Residents were told to stay away from the active scene. "Me and my husband were coming back from the store and I saw the first squad car pull up and then there were hundreds just going through my street. And I told my husband, I said, we have to go on lockdown," said Margie, neighbor.West Aurora Schools were on soft lockdown for several hours. The lockdown was lifted at about 3:30 p.m. and students were dismissed. Parents tried to locate their children at different dismissal points.Brianna, who attends West Aurora High School, worried for her safety. "They didn't tell us anything," she said. "They just said that it was not a drill and that we couldn't leave. "The community is thankful for the first responders and heartbroken over the loss of the innocent victims. "I've never seen this before," Margie said.Probst said he and a coworker escaped through the back door. Probst said a nearby resident allowed Probst and his coworker to shelter in his home.Senator Dick Durbin tweeted Friday afternoon to express his gratitude for law enforcement officers who helped bring the shooter into custody.Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting.The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement released Friday:"Every police officer dreads days like this one, yet these four courageous Aurora officers and their colleagues did not hesitate to literally put their lives on the line today to stop further bloodshed. These four heroes willingly ran into harm's way to protect their fellow citizens and very nearly paid the ultimate price.<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email AURORA, Ill. — An employee of a manufacturing company opened fire in its suburban Chicago plant Friday, killing five people and wounding five police officers before he was fatally shot, police said. A sixth warehouse worker was also wounded. The five people killed were employees at the building. All were found inside the facility. All five officers and the wounded warehouse worker are expected to survive. Aurora, Ill. Police Chief Kristen Ziman identified the gunman as 45-year-old Gary Martin and said he was believed to be an employee at the Henry Pratt Co. — which makes valves for industrial purposes — in the city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Chicago. Officers confronted Martin, at which point he started to fire on them. Police returned fire and killed Martin. She told a news conference that officers arrived within four minutes of receiving reports of the shooting and were fired upon as soon as they entered the 29,000-square-foot manufacturing warehouse. Story continues below advertisement WATCH: Gunman was fired prior to Illinois workplace shooting 1:11 Gunman was fired prior to Illinois workplace shooting Gunman was fired prior to Illinois workplace shooting – Feb 16, 2019 Police said they did not know the gunman’s motive. But at a press conference on Friday night, Ziman said Martin was a 15-year veteran who was being terminated on the day of the shooting. Police are looking into his criminal history. “May God bless the brave law enforcement officers who continue to run toward danger,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at the news conference. Hospitals reported treating at least seven patients from the shooting, though their conditions weren’t released. Two of the officers were airlifted to trauma centers in Chicago, Ziman said. She said a sixth officer suffered a knee injury. Officials did not say the total number of people injured including police and civilians. Story continues below advertisement View image in gallery mode First responders and emergency vehicles are gathered near the scene of a shooting at an industrial park in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (Bev Horne/Daily Herald via AP). View image in gallery mode Law enforcement personnel gather near the scene where an active shooter was reported in Aurora, Ill., Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP). View image in gallery mode This image from video provided by ABC 7 Chicago shows the industrial park in Aurora, Ill., where officials say a gunman opened fire at the Henry Pratt Co. building on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (ABC 7 Chicago via AP). View image in gallery mode Law enforcement personnel gather near the scene of a shooting at an industrial park in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (Bev Horne/Daily Herald via AP). View image in gallery mode Law enforcement personnel gather near the scene of a shooting at an industrial park in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (Bev Horne/Daily Herald via AP). View image in gallery mode Law enforcement personnel gather near the scene of a shooting at an industrial park in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. (Bev Horne/Daily Herald via AP). Dozens of first responder vehicles converged on the building housing the company in Aurora after police received multiple calls about an active shooter at 1:24 p.m. CST. Several ATF teams also responded to the shooting and were at the scene, according to the agency’s Chicago spokeswoman, and the FBI said it also responded. Story continues below advertisement John Probst, an employee at the Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, told ABC7 that he ran out of the back door as the shooting unfolded Friday afternoon. Probst said he recognized the gunman. WATCH: Police in Aurora, IL say gunman immediately fired upon their arrival 4:14 Police in Aurora, IL say gunman immediately fired upon their arrival Police in Aurora, IL say gunman immediately fired upon their arrival – Feb 15, 2019 “What I saw was the guy running down the aisle with a pistol with a laser on it,” Probst said. Probst said he wasn’t hurt but that another colleague was “bleeding pretty bad.” “It’s a shame that mass shootings such as this have become commonplace in our country. It’s a shame that a cold and heartless offender would be so selfish as to think he has the right to take an innocent life,” Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin said. Story continues below advertisement Great job by law enforcement in Aurora, Illinois. Heartfelt condolences to all of the victims and their families. America is with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2019 Police and squad cars guarded all access points to Henry Pratt five hours after the first calls to 911 about the shooting. The industrial park is surrounded by a neighborhood of modest homes with porch fronts, some with American flags perched outside. At Acorn Woods Condominiums where Martin lived, a mix of brick apartments and condos nestled on a quiet street just a mile and a half from the shooting, neighbors gathered on sidewalks near Martin’s unit talking and wondering among themselves if they knew or had come in contact with him. Mary McKnight stepped out of her car with a cherry cheesecake purchased for her son’s birthday, to find a flurry of police cars, officers and media trucks. “This is a strange thing to come home to, right,” she said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is a strange thing to come home to, right," she said. She had just learned that the shooter lived close by and his unit in the complex had been taped off by police. Christy Fonseca often worries about some of the gang-related crimes and shootings around her mother’s Aurora neighborhood. But she never expected the type of phone call she got from her mom on Friday, warning her to be careful with an active shooter loose in the town. Police cars with screaming sirens revved past her as she drove to her mother’s house, where the Henry Pratt building is visible from the porch stoop. it was only when they flipped on the television news that they realized Martin had killed people just a few hundred feet away. Story continues below advertisement WATCH: Police SWAT teams search Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, IL after shooting 1:18 Police SWAT teams search Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, IL after shooting Police SWAT teams search Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, IL after shooting – Feb 15, 2019 “In Aurora, period, we’d never thought anything like this would happen,” Fonseca, a lifelong resident of the Chicago suburb, said as she looked out at the factory. The White House said President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting and monitoring the situation as he prepared to depart for a weekend trip to his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump tweeted his thanks to law enforcement officers in Aurora and offered his condolences to the victims and their families. “America is with you,” he said. Presence Mercy Medical Center was treating two patients and a third had been transferred by helicopter to another hospital, spokesman Matt Wakely said. Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital each had one patient from the shooting, spokeswoman Kate Eller said. Rush Copley Medical Center received three patients from the shooting and all are being treated for non-life threatening injuries, spokeswoman Courtney Satlak said. Story continues below advertisement WATCH: America’s gun laws one year after Parkland, Florida shooting 2:02 America’s gun laws one year after Parkland, Florida shooting America’s gun laws one year after Parkland, Florida shooting – Feb 14, 2019<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Vigils & tributes to George Floyd one year since his murder ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East These are the victims of the Illinois shooting Law enforcement officers gather outside the Henry Pratt Co. manufacturing plant Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Aurora, Ill. Police say a gunman killed several people and injured police officers before he was fatally shot. (AP Photo/Matt Marton) (CNN) — Five people were killed in Aurora, Illinois, on Friday when a man being let go from his job opened fire at the Henry Pratt Co. in the Chicago suburb. During the termination meeting, the gunman took out a pistol and began killing people, authorities said. He then stormed into a warehouse and was killed after firing at police. “Tomorrow, the families of the victims will be less than whole,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “They join a group that should not exist and yet continues to grow.” Here’s what we know about the people who died in the shooting: Trevor Wehner Jay Wehner Trevor Wehner Trevor Wehner, a student at Northern Illinois University, was a human resources intern from Sheridan, Illinois. Friday was his first day as an intern at the company, according to a statement from the school’s president. He was set to graduate in May with a degree in human resource management. Clayton Parks Courtesy Abby Parks Clayton Parks Clayton Parks of Elgin, Illinois, was the human resources manager at Henry Pratt. He was also an alumnus of Northern Illinois University, the school’s statement said. He graduated in 2014 from the College of Business. According to a letter to employees from Scott Hall, the CEO of Mueller Water Products, which owns the Henry Pratt Co., Parks joined the company in November 2018. “Every time I’ve closed my eyes over the last twelve hours, I’ve opened them hoping to wake from a terrible dream, but that’s not the case,” his wife, Abby Parks wrote on Facebook. “I’m living my worst nightmare.” “My husband, my love, my best friend, and the incredible father of our sweet son was taken from us yesterday…. and I am devastated.” “I’ll love you always and miss you forever, Clay,” she wrote. Russell Beyer Russell Beyer was a mold operator from Yorkville, Illinois. He had worked for Henry Pratt for more than 20 years and was union chairman, Hall’s letter said. Vicente Juarez Vicente Juarez from Oswego, Illinois, was a stockroom attendant and forklift operator at the company. According to Hall, he joined Henry Pratt in 2006. Juarez was a grandfather of eight, according to CNN affiliate WGN. “He was a great person. A loving father. A great uncle,” his niece Marisela Madrigal told WGN. “Shame, big shame that he was taken too soon.” GoFundMe Ariana Castro, Juarez’s niece, began a GoFundMe account to cover funeral costs and assist his family. The campaign has so far raised more than $19,000. “On February 15, 2019 Vicente Juarez, a husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, uncle, cousin… lost his life in the Henry Pratt Shooting in Aurora, IL,” she wrote. “As many of you know, Vicente was the head of his household and his family depended on him extensively. We know that many other families have also experienced a loss and we appreciate any help.” Josh Pinkard facebook/Facebook Josh Pinkard and his wife, Terra. Josh Pinkard, also of Oswego, was the plant manager. He joined the company 13 years ago at a facility in Alabama, Hall’s letter said. He moved to Aurora last spring. Brian Haynes said he was close with Pinkard’s family and told CNN affiliate WBMA that Pinkard was “a very special young man,” intelligent and a vocal Christian. “He never said anything bad about anybody,” said Haynes. “He was always positive.” In a series of posts on Facebook, Pinkard’s wife Terra said that her husband had been the “love of my life” and that telling their children he had died was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do. “I want to shout from the rooftops about how amazing Josh was! He was brilliant! The smartest person I’ve ever met! My best friend! The man I would have leaned on during devastation like this who would tell me it’s OK Terra, it is all going to be fine,” Terra Pinkard wrote. She said her husband had a twin sister. The injured police officers Another employee and five police officers were wounded, according to Aurora police. A sixth officer, who is 23, suffered a minor injury unrelated to gunfire. He’s served on the Aurora force for two years. In a Facebook post, the police department said Sunday all but one of the injured officers have been released from the Chicago metro area hospitals where they received treatment. None of the officers’ injuries were considered life-threatening. The wounded officers range in age from 24 to 53, according to a news release, and have served in the police department from four to 30 years.<doc-sep>
A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Aurora police chief: Those who died did not deserve this (CNN) — The gunman at the Illinois manufacturing business where five employees were killed and five police officers were wounded was being let go by the company, Aurora Chief of Police Kristen Ziman told reporters Friday night. The shooter, 45-year-old Gary Martin, used a Smith & Wesson handgun, the chief said. He was killed after police found him attempting to hide and he fired on officers. The chaos at the workplace lasted 90 minutes, Ziman said. Five Aurora police officers and one employee suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Ziman said. The first 911 calls came to Aurora police around 1:24 p.m. CT, with callers saying there was an active shooter at the Henry Pratt Company, which says it is one of the United States’ largest manufacturers of industrial valves. An employee at the company, John Probst, told CNN affiliate WLS the shooter was a co-worker and had a pistol with a laser sight. “He was shooting everybody,” Probst said. A slew of law enforcement officers raced to the scene and a team of four approached the building, which is in a small industrial area. There was gunfire immediately, and one officer was hit, Ziman said. Four other officers were shot just inside the building during the first five minutes of the response. The gunman went farther into the 29,000-square-foot warehouse, and teams of officers went to look for him. The shooter was killed by officers, the chief said.