Gunman said ‘oh really,’ then started shooting

Published 3:50 pm Saturday, October 6, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — After being told he was losing his job at a Minneapolis sign company, Andrew Engeldinger responded by saying “oh really,” taking out a gun and opening fire on his two managers. Then he fired again as the company owner tried to help his wounded employees.

Police reports released Friday provided new details of the shooting rampage last week at Accent Signage Systems that left six people dead, including the gunman, and three wounded. It was Minnesota’s deadliest workplace shooting.

The reports show that the 36-year-old Engeldinger shot two of the company’s top managers, John Souter and Rami Crooks, just as they were terminating him at the end of his workday Sept. 27.

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“Engeldinger responded by saying ‘oh really’ and took out a gun that he had in a holster in his waist area,” one report said.

Around nine shots were fired in the ensuing struggle in Souter’s office, and a magazine with about seven live founds fell to the floor. Souter was shot in the chest but able to leave his office as the struggle moved into the hallway, and he asked for someone to call 911. Souter remained hospitalized Friday.