MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales on Thursday named 51-year-old Milwaukee resident, Anthony Ferrill, as the shooter at Miller Brewing. He was a current employee of Molson Coors.
- Five victims' names released
- Shooter was 51-year-old Milwaukee man Anthony Ferrill
- Authorities have not offered motive for shooting
- RELATED: 6 Dead, Including Gunman in Shooting at Miller Brewery in Milwaukee
Morales also identified the five victims of the shooting as:
- Jesus Valle Jr., 33
- Gennady Levshetz, 51
- Trevor Wetselaar, 33
- Dana Walk, 57
- Dale Hudson, 50
Reasons for the shooting are still under investigation, and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett declined to comment on whether there were any racial motives for the shooting.
The nation was shocked on Wednesday when it was announced that a former employee opened fired at the country's biggest breweries in Milwaukee, killing five workers before taking his own life.
The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
"There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they were going to go to work, finish their day and return to their families. They didn't — and tragically they never will," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.
Authorities offered no immediate motive for the attack and did not release details about the shooter or how the shooting unfolded.
No one was wounded beyond those who were killed, authorities said.
Officers worked for hours to clear the more than 20 buildings in the complex where more than 1,000 people work. Police announced at a late evening news conference that the work was done and all employees had been allowed to go home. Police Chief Alfonso Morales said authorities believe the shooter acted alone.
Our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were senselessly taken, all of the folks and workers at Molson Coors, and the Milwaukee community as we grapple with yet another act of gun violence that will have long-lasting consequences for this community and our state.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) February 27, 2020
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting before speaking at the White House about his administration's efforts to combat the coronavirus.
"Our hearts break for them and their loved ones," the president said. "We send our condolences. We'll be with them, and it's a terrible thing, a terrible thing."
The attack occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities. The complex is widely known in the Milwaukee area as "Miller Valley," a reference to the Miller Brewing Co. that is now part of Molson Coors.
Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley called the shooter "an active brewery employee."
"Unfortunately, I am devastated to share that we lost five other members of our family in this tragic incident," he said in an email sent to employees. "There are no words to express the deep sadness many of us are feeling right now."
He said the office would be closed the rest of the week and the brewery shuttered "for the time being" to give people time to cope.
A group of brewery employees gathered at a nearby bar to talk about what had happened.
"We are all a family. We work a lot of hours together, so we're all very sad," said Selena Curka, a brewery employee who was about to start her shift when the complex went on lockdown and she was turned away.
"We're like family here. We spend a lot of time together. We are here 12 hours plus. Almost everyone knows each other, so it's really sad."
— Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin (@SpectrumNews1WI) February 26, 2020
Selena Curka, a @MolsonCoors employee, spoke with our @DanMolloyTV following the situation earlier today pic.twitter.com/aOfCTo141e
"It's just weird, because nine times out of 10 you're going to know the shooter," said another employee Thomas Milner. "It's a tight-knit family. Within the brewery we all interact with each other."
Milner was also on his way to work when the shooting happened, and he was turned away too.
James Boyles told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his wife, Lasonya Ragdales, works at Molson Coors in the claims department. She was texting from inside the facility and told her husband that there was an active shooter and she was locked in a room with a bunch of co-workers, the Journal Sentinel newspaper reported.
Milwaukee Police investigate active shooter news release. pic.twitter.com/NhycjiQlLv
— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) February 27, 2020
The Associated Press contributed to this story.