Aurora Police Identify Victims of Shooting at Henry Pratt Co., Release Photo of Shooter

During a press conference Feb. 16, Aurora Chief of Police Kristen Ziman identified the victims of the shooting at Henry Pratt Co.—a Mueller Water Products valve manufacturing subsidiary—Friday, Feb. 15. as employees of the company.

Ziman said the shooter—identified as 45-year-old Gary Martin—was in illegal possession of the firearm that he used to kill five employees and injure five officers and injure one employee. Martin was terminated from his job with Henry Pratt Co. Feb. 15, and following the termination, Martin opened fire. Three employees were shot in that meeting and two were shot outside that meeting Ziman said, adding the proximity of the victims in the room and outside the room is not yet determined.

The victims of the shooting at Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, Ill., were identified as: 

• Trevor Wehner, 21-year-old, human resources intern on his first day on the job from DeKalb, Ill.; 
• Clayton Dean Parks, human resources manager from Elgin, Ill.; 
• Russel Beyer, mold operator from Yorkville, Ill.; 
• Vincente Juarez, stock room attendant and forklift operator from Oswego, Ill.; and 
• Josh Pinkard, plant manager from Oswego. 

A sixth employee who was not identified, but Ziman said the employee was being treated for non-life-threatening wounds Saturday at an area hospital.

The officers who were shot and treated for gunshot wounds were not identified by name but were identified by age and tenure with the police office. 

• Officer 1: 39 years old; 13-years with the department; gunshot wound to lower extremity, but in stable condition;
• Officer 2: 52 years old; 25-years with the department; gunshot wound to upper extremity; released from hospital Feb. 16;
• Officer 3: 52 years old; 24-years with the department; gunshot wound to upper extremity; treated and released Feb. 16;
• Officer 4: 53 years old; 30-years with the department; gunshot wound to lower extremity; treated an area hospital;
• Officer 5: 24 years old; 4-years with the department; sustained shrapnel wounds to upper extremity; treated and stable; and
• Officer 6: 23 years old; 2-years with department; minor injury unrelated to gunfire.

According to Ziman, the Martin had a criminal record that included six prior arrests in Aurora with the most recent arrest in Oswego in 2017. Ziman said he was in illegal possession of a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun after his FOID card and Illinois Concealed Carry permit were revoked in 2014 when it was discovered he had a felony conviction in Mississippi from 1995. This was discovered in the concealed carry application process because it includes a fingerprinting process.

Ziman said a letter was sent to Martin for him to relinquish the weapon, but that the weapon had never been relinquished to police. She said this is a voluntary act on the part of the gun owner and that the department is investigating this aspect of the crime.

Ziman said Martin was terminated from his position with Henry Pratt Co. Friday, Feb. 15 and following that meeting, he opened fire.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired at 1:24 p.m. at the Henry Pratt Co. manufacturing building in Aurora, Ill. Police responded within four minutes, and were immediately met with gunfire. Within two minutes of arriving, one officer was shot. The remaining officers were shot after entering the building to locate Martin.

A regional law enforcement response from hundreds of uniformed officers from federal, state and local agencies responded to the call. Ziman said Friday that as many as 13 teams entered the Henry Pratt Co. building to locate the shooter who was eventually found. Ziman said police fatally shot Gary Martin, 45, who was an employee of Henry Pratt Co.

Ziman said the entire event lasted a little over 1.5 hours. Police also executed a search warrant on Martin’s Aurora home Friday night, but Ziman said nothing suspicious was found in that home.

The crime scene has not been released to Henry Pratt Co. or Mueller Water Products as the investigation is ongoing. A vigil is being held Monday at 1 p.m., but the location has not yet been confirmed.