Ex-Worker Kills 5, Self in Shooting at Texas Company

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. — A former employee opened fire Monday in a refinery inspection company, killing the owner, his wife and three workers before fatally shooting himself, police said.

Police said James Simpson, a 28-year-old former worker at Walter Rossler Co., entered through the front door and shot the five people with a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol and .32-caliber revolver before leaving through the back door. He then shot himself behind the business.

“We know that everyone he came in contact with he did shoot and kill and then shot himself,” Police Chief Henry Garrett said.

Up to 10 people were inside the industrial inspection company when the gunman entered and opened fire, Garrett said. Two workers escaped by crawling out the back door.

The victims were identified as owner Walter Rossler, 62; his wife, Joann Rossler, 62; Derek Harrison, 35; Wendy P. Gilmore, 41, and Richard Tomlinson, 34.

Simpson and one of the victims were declared dead on arrival at a hospital, police said. The rest were pronounced dead at the scene.

Hours after the shooting, dozens of onlookers and grieving relatives gathered outside the company in the north Corpus Christi neighborhood.

The Rev. Morgan Rowsome of St. Peter’s Catholic Church and another priest were summoned by a funeral home and police. Rowsome said a few of the relatives had to lie down on stretchers to compose themselves.

The shooting was the second tragedy to hit this South Texas city in four days. Tejano music sensation Selena Quintanilla Perez was fatally shot Friday at a motel, allegedly by a woman who had been a personal assistant to the singer and the founder of her fan club.