14 DAY TRIAL // Lawrence Jones, of Fresno, California, opened fire in the chicken processing plant where he was employed, killing two co-workers and wounding other two, before pointing the gun at himself.
Jones came in at 5 a.m. to start his shift at the Apple Valley Farm factory, and, by 8.30, began his execution-style massacre.
30 of the 62 employees at the plant witnessed the attack, which the police have described as a methodical one, according to the International Business Times.
He approached two of his colleagues first, 32-year-old Salvador Diaz, 34-year-old Manuel Verdin. He shot Verdin in the head.
It appears the suspect walked slowly among the workers, taking his time, but targeting his victims specifically. The two were pronounced dead, as the police arrived at the scene.
“He had opportunity to shoot other co-workers that were in the business at this time, but he chose not to.
“He walked around them in order to get very close to the intended targets, place the gun very close and fire a round,” Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer described.
28-year-old Arnulfo Connriguez was also one of the intended victims; however, he managed to survive a shot to the neck, but remains hospitalized, finding himself in critical condition. 32-year-old Fatima Lopez tried to run away, and was shot in the buttocks, suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
A 14-month employee at the plant, Jones was found outside, with a fatal gun wound to the head, which the police believe was self-inflicted. Former co-worker Estevan Catano, a witness to the event, stated that the killer attempted to end his life on the spot, but was out of bullets and had to reload outside.
Officials haven't been able to identify a motive for the mass shooting at this point, but are investigating a link between the suspect and a co-worker, presumably one of the victims.