Workplace Violence: The Henry Pratt Co. Warehouse Shooting
This paper examines the 2019 workplace shooting at the Henry Pratt Company warehouse in Aurora, Illinois, in which employee Gary Martin killed five coworkers after being informed of his termination. The paper identifies the administrative and engineering control failures that contributed to the tragedy, including inadequate background checks, the absence of a no-guns-on-site policy, insufficient surveillance, and a lack of active shooter training. It also discusses the FOID card system loophole that allowed Martin — a convicted felon — to legally purchase a firearm. The paper concludes by assessing both the immediate and long-term outcomes of the case, including subsequent reforms to Illinois firearm identification procedures and workplace safety protocols.
- Introduction: Overview of the 2019 Henry Pratt shooting incident
- Basic Issues in the Case: Martin's history, red flags, and facility shortcomings
- Possible Administrative Controls for Prevention: Background checks, gun policies, and shooter training
- Possible Engineering Controls for Prevention: Gun detectors and surveillance as physical barriers
- Immediate Outcome of the Case: Discovered threats and lessons for reporting policies
- Long-Term Impact and Outcome: FOID loophole reforms and updated workplace safety measures
- Conclusion: Summary of preventive controls that could have helped
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- Applies a clear analytical framework — distinguishing administrative from engineering controls — drawn directly from course material, giving the case analysis a structured, professional quality.
- Balances factual case narration with practical policy recommendations, keeping the argument grounded in both real events and preventive theory.
- Acknowledges the limits of proposed controls (e.g., noting that some training would not have saved the first victims) rather than overstating their effectiveness, which adds intellectual honesty.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied case analysis: it uses a specific real-world incident to evaluate the adequacy of existing safety frameworks. By mapping each control type onto the specific facts of the Henry Pratt shooting, the author shows how theoretical safety concepts translate into concrete preventive measures — a technique common in occupational health, criminal justice, and business courses.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a factual introduction to the incident, then defines the core issues. Two central analytical sections address administrative and engineering controls respectively. A two-part outcome section separates immediate findings from long-term policy impacts. The conclusion synthesizes the preventive measures discussed. This seven-section structure mirrors a standard case-study report format, moving from problem identification to analysis to outcomes.
Introduction
In 2019, Gary Martin opened fire at the Henry Pratt Co. Warehouse after being informed of his termination for failing to follow safety protocol. Martin had anticipated that he was about to be fired, which is why he brought a gun into the workplace that day. He had told coworkers that if he lost his job he would kill everyone at the facility. When he was brought into the manager's office and told he was dismissed, he shot everyone in the room and then went looking for other coworkers with whom he wanted to settle a grievance (ABC 7, 2019). In total, Martin killed five people and injured several more, including police officers. He died on the scene hours later after exchanging gunfire with responding officers.
Basic Issues in the Case
The basic issues in the Henry Pratt Co. Warehouse shooting were that employee Gary Martin had a history of violence, had been incarcerated, and should not have been legally permitted to possess a firearm under federal law. He harbored a grievance with management over workplace safety requirements and was likely to be terminated for not wearing safety goggles. He also had an ongoing grievance with at least one coworker. The warehouse had no administrative or engineering controls in place to address the risk of workplace violence, such as a shooting.
These issues are interconnected. Martin was a worker with a documented history of violence — a clear red flag that should have been caught during the hiring process. Coworkers were evidently troubled by his behavior, as they had reported him for not following safety protocols. Martin, in turn, was frustrated with those coworkers. Lacking self-restraint, he turned to violence to settle perceived scores once it became clear that management was moving to end his employment.
References
ABC 7. (2019). Aurora shooting: 5 dead, multiple wounded including officers at Henry Pratt Company; gunman also dead. Retrieved from https://abc7chicago.com/aurora-illinois-shooting-il/5140701/
CBS. (2022). 3 years after Henry Pratt Company shooting, officials are pleased with progress in closing FOID card system loopholes. Retrieved from https://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/6200573-3-years-after-henry-pratt-company-shooting-officials-are-pleased-with-progress-in-closing-foid-card-system-loopholes/
Chapter 13. (n.d.). Violence in the workplace. PDF.
Grinberg, E. (2019). The Illinois plant shooter threatened to kill everyone if he got fired, but his co-worker didn't believe him. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/29/us/aurora-illinois-shooting-threats/index.html
Wallace, L. N. (2020). Pennsylvania workplace safety: Employee perceptions of active shooter preparedness. Violence and Victims, 35(6), 920–939.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.