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CNN Live Event/Special
Gunman Killed After Murdering Six
Aired August 27, 2003 - 19:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: An auto parts supply warehouse in Chicago turned a killing zone today. Authorities say a disgruntled worker went on rampage. Seven people, including the gunman, were killed.
Police got into the building only after mounting what they called a full assault.
Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Chicago police hostage barricade team moves in to try to stop 36-year-old Salvador Tapia. Six months ago, police say, fired from this auto supply parts business, today back with a Walther PP semi-automatic handgun and shooting at his old coworkers.
PHIL CLINE, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT, CHICAGO POLICE: From the scene it appears that he went throughout the supply warehouse, shooting them.
FLOCK: Police sharp shooters take up positions and negotiators try to talk to him.
PAT LAMDEN, CHICAGO POLICE SPOKESMAN: We attempted to negotiate with him. He wouldn't -- he wanted no part of it.
FLOCK: When it was over, police say, Tapia had killed everyone he shot at, six in all, before police finally got him, storming the building and taking no chances, even after the gunman had been fatally wounded.
CLINE: At that time the offender was handcuffed, paramedics were already on the scene. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
FLOCK (on camera): By mid-day still a lot of activity at what police describe as a very complicated crime screen. As you can see the building here now.
(voice-over) The warehouse packed with bins of auto parts that police say was like a maze that Tapia moved through methodically. But the maze had only one way in and one way out.
CLINE: Once he's inside and by that front door he's got them cornered.
FLOCK: Arrested a dozen times since 1989, according to authorities, for gun possession, assault, domestic battery, most times Tapia beat the rap.
What sparked this rampage police don't know. So far they're unable to find his family and most of his former coworkers are dead.
I'm Jeff Flock, CNN in Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, to put today's events in Chicago in perspective, violence in the work place is, indeed, a serious safety issue in the U.S. Homicide is the third leading cause of fatal deaths in the work place. According to U.S. government statistics, in 2001 there were 639 workplace homicides.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 27, 2003 - 19:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: An auto parts supply warehouse in Chicago turned a killing zone today. Authorities say a disgruntled worker went on rampage. Seven people, including the gunman, were killed.
Police got into the building only after mounting what they called a full assault.
Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Chicago police hostage barricade team moves in to try to stop 36-year-old Salvador Tapia. Six months ago, police say, fired from this auto supply parts business, today back with a Walther PP semi-automatic handgun and shooting at his old coworkers.
PHIL CLINE, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT, CHICAGO POLICE: From the scene it appears that he went throughout the supply warehouse, shooting them.
FLOCK: Police sharp shooters take up positions and negotiators try to talk to him.
PAT LAMDEN, CHICAGO POLICE SPOKESMAN: We attempted to negotiate with him. He wouldn't -- he wanted no part of it.
FLOCK: When it was over, police say, Tapia had killed everyone he shot at, six in all, before police finally got him, storming the building and taking no chances, even after the gunman had been fatally wounded.
CLINE: At that time the offender was handcuffed, paramedics were already on the scene. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
FLOCK (on camera): By mid-day still a lot of activity at what police describe as a very complicated crime screen. As you can see the building here now.
(voice-over) The warehouse packed with bins of auto parts that police say was like a maze that Tapia moved through methodically. But the maze had only one way in and one way out.
CLINE: Once he's inside and by that front door he's got them cornered.
FLOCK: Arrested a dozen times since 1989, according to authorities, for gun possession, assault, domestic battery, most times Tapia beat the rap.
What sparked this rampage police don't know. So far they're unable to find his family and most of his former coworkers are dead.
I'm Jeff Flock, CNN in Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, to put today's events in Chicago in perspective, violence in the work place is, indeed, a serious safety issue in the U.S. Homicide is the third leading cause of fatal deaths in the work place. According to U.S. government statistics, in 2001 there were 639 workplace homicides.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
