A gunman opened fire at a WeatherTech warehouse Saturday morning, leaving one worker dead and two others injured, according to local police.
Police responded to the warehouse in Bolingbrook, Illinois, at about 6:25 a.m. after receiving a 911 call about the incident, the Bolingbrook Police Department wrote in a statement on its website. Officers arrested the alleged shooter, who has been identified as 27-year-old Charles C. McKnight Jr., at about 9:25 a.m.
The deceased victim has been identified as 37-year-old Central Hightower. A 25-year-old man remained in critical condition, and a 43-year-old male victim had been released from the hospital, police said.
The preliminary investigation indicated that near the end of the overnight shift, employees confronted McKnight, who allegedly stole a watch and wallet from two co-workers at gunpoint, the statement said. During the confrontation, McKnight allegedly pulled out a handgun and began shooting.
Police do not believe the shooting was premeditated, and it remains under investigation. The deadly incident occurred on the same day President Joe Biden signed a historic, bipartisan gun safety bill into law, and as the United States continues to deal with increasing gun violence.
McKnight was a temporary employee who had been assigned to work at the warehouse since June 9.
WeatherTech, founded in 1989, is a company that manufactures automobile accessories including floor mats, seat protectors, and storage systems. It is headquartered in Bolingbrook, a suburb located about 29 miles west of Chicago.
Local leaders expressed their sympathies with the victims on Saturday.
Congressman Bill Foster, a Democrat who represents the area, thanked law enforcement for "rush[ing] into harm's way" to respond to the shooting.
"Today, our community has been shattered by yet another act of senseless gun violence. Words cannot express the heartbreak the victims and their families are feeling right now. My thoughts are with them during these difficult times," he wrote in a statement on his website.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin tweeted: "A 5 month old shot in the head and killed. 3 people shot at the WeatherTech warehouse. All within 12 hours of each other. While the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help make our nation safer, these shootings show we can't stop now. We must continue this bipartisan dialogue."
A 5 month old shot in the head and killed. 3 people shot at the WeatherTech warehouse. All within 12 hours of each other. While the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act will help make our nation safer, these shootings show we can't stop now. We must continue this bipartisan dialogue. https://t.co/HhwUDysoCY
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) June 25, 2022
He referred to a separate instance of gun violence that occurred where a 5-month-old girl sitting in a car in Chicago Saturday died after a person allegedly shot into the vehicle, striking her in the head. A 41-year-old man was also hospitalized after being struck by gunfire, but was "initially reported in good condition."
Police had not arrested anyone in connection with the shooting, which also remains under investigation.
Gun violence remains an issue in the U.S., where at least 9,520 people have been shot and killed so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an organization that tracks shooting deaths.
Newsweek reached out to WeatherTech for comment.
Update 06/26/22 9:10 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
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