Aurora shooting: Student, 21, on first day working as intern named among five killed by 'dismissed employee'

A 21-year-old student on his first day working as an intern has been named among five people killed when a dismissed employee opened fire at an Illinois warehouse.

Gary Martin, a 45-year-old employee at Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, killed five people and injured six police officers after being told he was being fired from the company.

After being told of his dismissal, Martin fatally shot three people inside the meeting and went on to shoot two others. He was then shot and killed by police after a stand-off.

Police have now named the victims of Friday’s mass shooting, including 21-year-old Trevor Wehner, who was on his first day as a human resources intern when he was killed.

Mr Wehner, from the village of Sheridan, Illinois, was on track to graduate in May from Northern Illinois University with a degree in human resource management, the school said.

"He always, always was happy," his uncle Jay Wehner said. "I have no bad words for him. He was a wonderful person. You can't say anything but nice things about him.”

Russ Beyer, a 46-year-old mold operator and union chairman with more than 20 years of experience, was also among those killed during the meeting on Friday afternoon.

His father Ted Beyer said his son had a “big heart” and tried his best to make his office a better place. He said his son had helped Martin win back his job months earlier.

Another victim was named as 32-year-old Clayton Parks, from Elgin, who had just joined Henry Pratt in November 2018 as HR manager and was in the fateful meeting on Friday.

Mr Parks was married and had an infant son, Axel, according to a Facebook post by his wife Abby.

"Every time I've closed my eyes over the last twelve hours, I've opened them hoping to wake from a terrible dream, but that's not the case," his wife posted. "I'm living my worst nightmare. My husband, my love, my best friend."

Also killed was plant manager, Josh Pinkard, of Oswego, a native of Holly Pond, Alabama, according to local media.

Mueller Water Products, the parent company of Henry Pratt, said Mr Pinkard joined Mueller in Alabama 13 years ago and moved to Aurora last year to lead the team there.

The father-of-three, 37, earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Mississippi State University and a master's degree from the University of Arkansas.

The final victim was named as Vicente Juarez of Oswego, a stock room attendant and forklift operator who was described as a hard-working grandfather and rock of his tight-knit family.

Mr Juarez was shot outside the meeting where the gunman was being fired from his job.

He had been employed at Henry Pratt since 2006 and was a member of the shipping and warehouse team in Aurora. He had held several other jobs previously in the warehouse, the company said.

The gunman's sister Tameka Martin told WBEZ that Martin had worked at Henry Pratt Co. for around 20 years before losing his job.

Felicia Martin, his mother, told WGN: “My heart goes out to all the victims and their families.”

Speaking after the shooting, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference: "May God bless the brave law enforcement officers who continue to run toward danger.”

"It's a shame that mass shootings such as this have become commonplace in our country,” Aurora mayor Richard Irvin added. “It's a shame that a cold and heartless offender would be so selfish as to think he has the right to take an innocent life.”