Congressman proposes resolution honoring Pratt Co. shooting victims
Congressman Bill Foster introduced a resolution Thursday to honor the victims of the 2019 mass shooting at the Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora.
Five people were shot and killed on Feb. 15, 2019, when a co-worker - angry he was being terminated - opened fire at the warehouse. The gunman also wounded five Aurora police officers before he was killed by police. A sixth Aurora officer was injured while police were entering the building.
"On February 15, 2019, five members of the Aurora community were taken far too soon in a senseless act of gun violence. It's hard to believe it has been nearly four years since this tragedy, and our hearts go out to the victims' friends and families during this difficult time of remembrance," Foster said in a news release. "I'm proud to introduce this resolution to honor the victims' memories and the courage of the police officers who rushed into danger to protect innocent people, six of whom were injured in the shooting. We cannot forget the events of that day, and we must remain committed to putting an end to these tragedies once and for all."
The resolution calls for honoring the memory of Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton "Clay" Parks, Josh Pinkard, and Trevor Wehner, who were killed.
It also honors the service of the injured officers - Adam Miller, Marco Gomez, John Cebulski, James Zegar, Reynaldo Rivera, and Diego Avila.
Besides honoring the victims, the resolution states that the House of Representatives "stands in solidarity with the victims of senseless gun violence in communities across the United States."
The resolution is co-sponsored by the Illinois Democratic House delegation: Reps. Lauren Underwood, Sean Casten, Danny Davis, Robin Kelly, Brad Schneider, Mike Quigley, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Jan Schakowsky, Jesús "Chuy" García, Nikki Budzinski, Jonathan Jackson, Delia Ramirez and Eric Sorensen.
The Aurora Historical Society is displaying the crosses and some of the memorial items that were erected at the shooting scene, through Feb. 18, at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.