MillersCoors shooting at Molson Coors Beverage company Milwaukee leaves 6 dead, including gunman after fired disgruntled employee returns to work with gun.
Seven people including a 51 year old gunman have been killed in a mass shooting at the MillerCoors campus in Milwaukee according to reports.
Milwaukee Police believe the shooter killed himself after killing 5 people. CBS tweeted the names of the victims not being released until family members were notified.
Social media identified the MillersCoors gunman as 20 plus year long time employee, Anthony Ferrill of Milwaukee.
Police responded to the facility, owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company, on Wednesday afternoon following reports of an active shooter.
Law enforcement sources initially told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that at least seven people were dead, including the gunman- (it appears five workers not including the gunman were shot dead in updated reports) who was fired earlier that day by MillersCoors. It remained unclear how many were injured in the shooting which took place at the brewery complex at 3939 W. Highland Ave on just 2pm.
Police said an active shooter was in or near the second-floor stairwell of the sprawling factory’s Building 4.
Shooting at Molson Coors Beverage Company headquarters, multiple down, reports say https://t.co/CnuzBhoclz #EndGunViolence
— Beatrice Lacy (@BeatriceLacy) February 26, 2020
Active shooter in stairwell after regaining access to plant:
The un-named worker following his sacking returned to his place of work with a silencer gun and opened fire, police sources told CBS2. One source said the fired employee was able to gain access to the workplace after stealing the name tag of a colleague.
Molson Coors Beverage Company confirmed the incident in a tweet Wednesday afternoon, posting: ‘There is an active situation at our Milwaukee facility and we are working closely with the Milwaukee Police Department. Our top priority is our employees and we’ll provide updates in conjunction with the police as we are able.’
Employees were told to find a safe place to hide when the gunman opened fire.
One of the employees told WISN of receiving an email saying the shooter was located in the stairwell of one of the brewing facility’s buildings and to seek shelter.
The #MillerCoors facility in Milwaukee is a sprawling campus known as “Miller Valley” — includes the historic “Miller Caves”, massive warehouses, corporate offices and the brewery.
Sources telling @JermontTerry the shooting is in the production plant.@cbschicago pic.twitter.com/wopRup84NH
— Chris Tye (@TVTye) February 26, 2020
Brewery complex which employs 600 remained on lockdown:
The incident occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities the Chicago Tribune reports.
At least 600 people work at the complex, which remained on lockdown.
The venue retained heavy police presence along with fire trucks and ambulances.
Live video showed an officer in body armor getting an assault rifle out of car. Emergency crews were continuing to arrive at the scene nearly two hours after the initial call to police.
BREAKING: According to local media reports, 7 people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at a MillerCoors facility in Milwaukee. The suspect was reportedly a former employee.#Milwaukee
pic.twitter.com/akNb32uKMX— Global News Network (@GlobalNews77) February 26, 2020
My wife’s friend just sent this text to her. She was inside #MillerCoors during the shooting today. Just got this “I was under my desk crying for 2 hours, he was in the connected building next door to me. Shooter is down. Still on lockdown.” #molsoncoors pic.twitter.com/bziQL1Ht9A
— Khary Penebaker *Text MIKE to 80510* (@kharyp) February 26, 2020
MillersCoors shooting: Active texts during rampage
The FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were among the agencies responding.
Relatives of employees say they are receiving texts from those on lockdown inside.
James Boyles said his wife Lasonya Ragdales works at Molson Coors in the claims department.
She was texting from inside the building and told her husband that there was active shooter and she was locked in a room with a bunch of co-workers.
Milwaukee Police had no immediate information other than to say it was a ‘critical incident’.
They asked that people stay clear of the area and that no helicopters or drones be flown over the site for ‘officer safety purposes’.
