UPS gunman had filed excessive overtime grievance
A disgruntled UPS driver who shot and killed three people at a UPS warehouse in San Francisco had filed a grievance complaining that he was working excessive overtime.
An official with a local Teamsters Union says Jimmy Lam's grievance, filed in March, requested that the company relieve him of working overtime going forward.
The news comes as the first victim of Lam's rampage, 46-year-old Mike Lefiti, from Hercules, California, was identified.
Family members and co-workers described the father-of-five as a 'gentle giant' and 'Big Mike'. Lefiti had worked with UPS for 17 years and was being picked up that morning by his cousin.
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The first victim has been identified of a shooting rampage that left three dead at a UPS warehouse in San Francisco. Mike Lefiti, 46 (pictured), had worked with UPS for 17 years
Lefiti (pictured left, with his wife) is a father-of-five who had just celebrated his seven year wedding anniversary on Tuesday
On his Facebook page, Lefiti posted frequently about his time working at UPS, including a photo of a certificate of service for 15 years with the company back in 2015 (pictured)
Lefiti was described a more than just a delivery man (pictured, Lefiti's truck). 'He was everybody’s big brother. He’s the guy that if you’re having a bad day, he’ll make you laugh,' said Fredrick Dionisio, a security guard at a nearby Bank of America
Police officers gather outside a UPS facility after a driver opened fire during a meeting, killing three and injuring two others before turning the gun on himself
The workplace shooting rampage was reported at around 9am PT at this sorting hub in San Francisco. The shooter, Jimmy Lam had filed a grievance complaining that he was working excessive overtime
UPS workers gather outside after a shooting at a UPS warehouse and customer service center in San Francisco on Wednesday
Mack Toia told ABC7 he saw his cousin sprawled out on the concrete and believe he was shot in the stomach.
'The police officers were right on the scene just like that. I got to touch him, but I couldn't hug him. They just pushed me away because they were trying to resuscitate him,' Toia said.
He added that Lefiti had a short work day on Wednesday because he was on light duty.
Lefiti, who had just celebrated his seven year wedding anniversary on Tuesday, recently had Toia move into his home as they come from a very tight-knit San Francisco family, he says.
'He just was a great person and I'm going to miss him. I want him back, I want him back,' Toia said.
On his Facebook page, Lefiti frequently posted about his time working at UPS, including a photo of a certificate of service for 15 years with the company back in 2015.
Lefiti was described as more than just a neighborhood delivery man.
'He was everybody’s big brother,' Frederick Dionisio, a security guard at the nearby Bank of America, told SFGate.
'He’s the guy that if you’re having a bad day, he’ll make you laugh.'
A UPS worker is seen reacting after the deadly shooting that left four dead - including the gunman
Heavily-armed police officers gather outside the UPS facility after the shooting
UPS workers embraced outside the scene of the workplace shooting rampage that left three innocent victims dead
Shots rang out at the sprawling warehouse and customer service center in the area of 17th Street and San Bruno in the mostly residential Portero Hill section of the city at around 9am Pacific Time.
The incident led to a massive police response and six people were transported to the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, spokesman Brent Andrew said - where four people were pronounced dead, including the shooter.
The other two victims have since been released from the hospital and are expected to be OK.
Lam and the victims were all drivers, said Steve Gaut, head of investor relations at UPS. The man opened fire while the workers were gathered for their daily morning meeting before going out on their routes, he added.
During a press conference held Wednesday afternoon, San Francisco police Sgt Toney Chaplin said the shooter was dressed in a UPS uniform and was armed with an assault pistol.
Chaplin said when the first police units responded to the facility after getting reports of shots fired, they came upon the victims and then encountered the gunman, who was still alive.
Confronted by police, Lam put the handgun he was brandishing to his head and pulled the trigger.
He was transported to the hospital, where he later died of the self-inflicted wound.
According to police, the shooter acted alone and investigators do not believe the incident was related to terrorism.
The shooter, identified as Lam, has a history of mental illness, is in his 40s, and has children.
The names of his victims were being withheld pending the notification of family members.
San Francisco Assistant Chief of Police Toney Chaplin said at a press conference the shooter was dressed in a UPS uniform and was armed with an assault pistol
A police officer reacts at the scene where a gunman shot and killed three co-workers
A San Francisco police officer stands guard at the scene of a shooting at the UPS facility
The wife of one of the survivors told KPIX 5 that her husband said the gunman broke into the workers safety meeting and shot three employees 'execution-style.'
Brent Andrew, spokesman for Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, sad the hospital had received the wounded victims, but he did not know exactly how many people or their conditions.
UPS released a statement that read, in part: 'The company is saddened and deeply concerned about the affected employees, family members and the community we share. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those touched by this incident.'
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee tweeted: 'I want to offer my condolences to the individuals & families affected by the senseless act of violence at the @UPS facility in Potrero Hill.'
California Govenor Jerry Brown tweeted: 'Our thoughts & prayers with everyone impacted by senseless violence today in SF & Alexandria.'
San Francisco Police Department advised residents on Twitter early Wednesday morning to avoid the crime scene and shelter in place.
At around 10:30am local time, police tweet that officers 'contained the incident & building is secure.'
People being evacuated hold their hands above their heads for police in the area of a shooting incident at the UPS facility
People are seen standing on the roof of the UPS building with their hands raised above their heads
The shooting took place in Portero Hill, just 2.5 miles from downtown San Francisco
Neighbors said they heard up to eight rapid gunshots.
'It was like tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat,' said Raymond Deng, who lives across the street from the warehouse.
A woman who claimed to be a UPS employee at the facility told the station KTVU that the gunman was a colleague and that he opened fire on the main sorting floor.
Joseph Cilia with a local Teamsters Union, says Lam had filed a grievance in March requested that UPS relieve him of working overtime going forward.
Still, Cilia says Lam wasn't angry, and he could not understand why he would open fire on his colleagues at a morning meeting on Wednesday.
UPS spokesman Gaut later confirmed that information, revealing that the gunman and the victims were all drivers, and that the shooting rampage occurred while the workers were gathered for their daily morning meeting before going out on routes.
Gaut said the facility's employees have now been released from work and he believes most have left the building. The company is providing trauma and grief counseling to employees.
Police squad cars and yellow crime scene tape are seen outside the UPS warehouse near 17th Street and San Bruno Wednesday morning
Witnesses described the gunman as a potentially disgruntled UPS driver who attacked colleagues during a morning meeting
Emergency vehicles are parked and police gather outside the UPS package delivery warehouse
Auto shop owner Robert Kim said he heard about five to eight rapid gunshots. The next thing he knew, he said, 'there's a mob of UPS drivers' running down the street screaming 'shooter, shooter.'
Uniformed UPS employees were led out in a line by officers next to a highway. They walked away calmly with emergency vehicles nearby and gathered nearby outside a restaurant.
The deadly incident on the West Coast came the same morning a 66-year-old gunman from Illinois opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding US Representative Steve Scalise, of Louisiana, and four others.