Michael Julius Ford

Timeline

• June 25, 2006 — Michael Julius Ford, 22, went on a shooting spree at a Safeway warehouse in Denver, Colorado, killing one and injuring five.
• June 25, 2006 (3:12 p.m.) — A call for help came from the Safeway distribution center at 4600 East Stapleton Drive South reporting that an employee was shooting up the building and taking down his co-workers.
• June 25, 2006 — Ford started randomly shooting fellow employees with a long-barreled handgun; Mauricio DeHaro was killed and multiple others were injured.
• June 25, 2006 (3:24 p.m.) — Police, including SWAT personnel, arrived at the warehouse after responding to the shooting.
• June 25, 2006 — Police searched for Ford in the warehouse where he had set several small fires.
• June 25, 2006 (4:24 p.m.) — Ford ambushed police; Officer Derick Dominguez was wounded; police returned fire and killed Ford.
• June 25, 2006 (72 minutes after the first 911 call was received) — Ford died at 4:24 p.m., as stated by Denver police Chief Gerry Whitman.

Background

Michael Julius Ford was 22. He was an American-born convert to Islam. Ford had been employed at the Safeway warehouse where he went on the shooting spree, and he began working at Safeway in February 2005. He had been scheduled to work Sunday and reported to work. He was a graduate of Montbello High School.

Ford’s family members and acquaintances described him as a quiet, unassuming, responsible man who was born and raised in Denver. An uncle and older brother told 7NEWS that Ford “is a quiet, unassuming, responsible man who was born and raised in Denver.” They said they did not know where he got the weapon or the anger to execute the deadly shooting. Ford’s uncle, Roy Ford, said:

“I never would have expected Michael ... that this would happen to Michael,”

Roy Ford said:

“He was a good kid, never got in trouble, never gang-related that I know, and I've known him since birth. He was always a good kid that you would love to talk to and to meet.”

Roy Ford said he saw his nephew a few days before the shooting and that he showed no signs of anger or frustration about his employer or coworkers. Roy Ford said:

“I'm trying to understand what happened, and what went wrong, and it's just puzzling,”

Roy Ford said:

“The reason why we're shocked is because it doesn't seem like it was Michael. It wasn't Michael.”

Ford’s family said that the actions police described were “totally against Michael's character.” The family said Ford had no previous criminal record except for a few minor traffic violations.

The offence

On June 25, 2006, Michael Julius Ford went on a shooting spree in a Safeway warehouse in Denver, Colorado, killing one and injuring five before he was shot and killed by police. The events occurred at the Safeway distribution center/warehouse at 4600 East Stapleton Drive South, near the intersection of Interstate 70 and Colorado Boulevard.

At 3:12 p.m., Ford started randomly shooting his fellow employees with a long-barreled handgun. Police later described him as firing at coworkers and also setting random fires. Witnesses described Ford as “shooting and lighting fires,” and intended “to turn the building on fire.”

A Safeway worker, Jesus Lopez, said:

“I seen him. He was like about 20 feet away from me. He was just shooting and lighting fires. He wanted to turn the building on fire,”
“I just ran. Everybody just ran out.”

Another Safeway worker said:

“We just got off our forklifts and ran to the exit door,”

Safeway employee Scott Stroman said:

“At that point, he started shooting everybody who was around,”

Stroman said employees hid and described the situation as random shooting:

“Everybody was hiding behind boxes, hiding behind walls, anything they can get, you know, behind to not get shot. Because this guy, he was just shooting everybody at random.”

A separate Safeway worker said:

“It was just a normal day when all of a sudden everyone was running out of the building. Everybody was just scared and running,”

Police said Ford set several small fires in the warehouse, including fires around the break room. Firefighters said the gunman started multiple fires in one location and one fire in another location. The sprinkler system inside the building kicked off immediately and contained most of the fires. Firefighters could not enter the building at first because Ford was still at large inside.

At least 152 people were working at the time. Some employees were trapped inside and hid in various parts of the warehouse until SWAT officers stormed the building and found the gunman.

During the standoff, employees huddled on a pile of gravel near the corner of the parking lot, waiting for the standoff to be over. The frontage road between I-70 and the building was clogged with fire trucks, police cars and RTD buses dispatched to shelter employees while they waited to be interviewed by police. Interstate 70 in the area was closed in both directions for more than three hours as officers worked to clear the scene.

A Denver Fire spokesman, Phil Champagne, said stacked paper products were ignited in several areas. A small fire rekindled in the paper products center of the facility Monday morning but was quickly doused by workers with a fire extinguisher. Police said Ford used flammable logs to set paper products on fire. Police said Ford’s fire-starting attempts were unsuccessful, but generated a lot of smoke that made the officers’ work more difficult.

Ford was identified as the person who opened fire at employees in the produce area and later ambushed police.

Investigation / police response

Police responded to the shooting and arrived at 3:24. Officers searched the 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, where Ford had set several small fires.

About 68 minutes after police entered the warehouse, Ford ambushed them before the police had an opportunity to talk with the shooter. Officer Derick Dominguez was wounded during this ambush. Police returned fire and killed Ford.

An incident commander, Lt. Pete Conner, described the situation as similar to training he had learned from nearly four months earlier. Another team of officers, headed by Robert Fitzgibbons, stormed the warehouse and continued the hunt. Multiple groups of officers charged inside and confronted Ford about an hour later, after which the rampage ended.

Denver police Chief Gerry Whitman said:

“To walk in there and face what (the officers) faced is, at best, confusing,”

Safeway spokesman Jeff Stroh said Monday:

“They created order out of chaos.”

Whitman said there was no clear motive and that Ford acted alone. Whitman said:

“(Ford) acted alone. There was no indication of any kind of plot.”

Whitman also described the confrontation with Ford:

“(Ford) was unprovoked and shot officer Dominguez unprovoked. That's when the other officers came to Dominguez' aid and were shot at,” and “They were exchanging quite a few rounds in there ... He shot at us six times and we returned fire 17 rounds. So, it was a gun battle that he started.”

Whitman said Ford fired 16 rounds, six directed at officers, and that SWAT shot 17 rounds hitting Ford seven times. Whitman said Ford died at 4:24 p.m., 72 minutes after the first 911 call was received.

Lt. Frank Conner, who heads up SWAT, said three employees remained hidden at the end of the ordeal and were the last to be evacuated.

Safeway management applauded the patrol and SWAT team officers who stormed the warehouse. Stroh said:

“They resolved the situation in which we believe was resolved in a way that minimized the casualties. We really can't say enough. We will be eternally grateful,” and “Whenever workplace violence occurs, you really have to take a step back and look at what you're doing,”

Stroh also said:

“I think it's important to underscore that in all of our investigations . . . we can find no problems of any kind that were brought forward involving or generated by Mr. Ford,”

and:

“None whatsoever.”

Stroh also said police officers at the scene created order out of chaos:

Police later cut the chain link fence to get employees off the property and give them more peace of mind. Reopened warehouse parts on Monday, and the company contacted grief counselors for employees needing help. The company planned to evaluate its safety policies.

Arrest / killing by police

Michael J. Ford was shot and killed by police at 4:24 p.m. after ambushing officers 68 minutes after police entered the warehouse. Officers returned fire, killing Ford with seven rounds.

Police said Officer Derick Dominguez was wounded and police officers then returned fire, described as a gun battle that Ford started. Whitman said:

“(Ford) was unprovoked and shot officer Dominguez. We didn't have time to talk to (Ford).”

Police said SWAT members Ryan Grothe and James Sewald fired the shots that killed Ford after hearing Dominguez cry out. Police Chief Gerry Whitman said:

“They heard Dominguez cry out and turned and saw the suspect,” and

People involved

Victims and injured

Mauricio DeHaro, 32, was killed. Police said Mauricio DeHaro was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mark Moran, 37, was shot in the head and was hospitalized in critical condition. Police said Mark Moran remained in critical condition with a head wound and later described him as shot in the head.

John Mendoza, 27, was shot in the face and was hospitalized in serious condition. Police said John Mendoza was in serious condition with a face wound.

Luis Relford, 34, was shot in the wrist and was in fair condition. Relford spoke to 7NEWS from his hospital bed and said there was no warning. Relford said:

“It happened so quick. I wasn't thinking about the pain. I just got up and ran,” and he said: “He said there was no warning of what was about to happen. He said he was picking up his orders as usual and then felt a sharp pain in his wrist. "It happened so quick. I wasn't thinking about the pain. I just got up and ran," Relford said.”

Relford’s mother, Mamie Relford, said:

“It didn't affect me until afterwards, you know. After he was in the hospital and after I went to call my son. That's when I really, kind of, broke down,”

Oscar Martinez, 27, was treated and released after being shot.

Police officer Derick Dominguez was shot in the hip during the ambush. Police later said Dominguez’s injury broke his leg and he remained in serious condition. Dominguez had surgery on the leg Monday morning and his condition was improving.

Gunman and other individuals

Michael Julius Ford, 22, was the gunman.

Denver police Chief Gerry Whitman commented on the shooting and confrontation. Safeway spokesman Jeff Stroh made statements about investigations and workplace violence response.

Sgt. Steve Gonzales and officers from District 2 neared the warehouse. Paramedic Otis McKay hoisted a man over his shoulder. Incident commander Lt. Pete Conner recalled training lessons. Officers stormed the warehouse in a team headed by Robert Fitzgibbons.

SWAT members who killed Ford were Ryan Grothe and James Sewald. The record described Ryan Grothe as a 5-year SWAT member. It described James Sewald as having been on SWAT for eight to 10 years and described both as off-duty Monday after being interviewed by investigators Sunday night.

The record included witnesses and employees discussing what they saw, including Jesus Lopez and Scott Stroman.

Workplace / facility details

The Safeway warehouse was described as a 1.3 million-square-foot building with rows of shelves and boxes and many hiding places. The produce department was identified as the area where Ford started shooting in the produce area.

The location was near Interstate 70 and Colorado Boulevard, with the Safeway distribution center at 4600 East Stapleton Drive South.

Motive / disputed explanations

Ford’s sister claimed that Ford had been “picked on” at work because he was a Muslim. Ford’s father (also a Muslim), Denver police, Safeway officials, and victim Luis Relford all denied this allegation.

Ford’s father said that Ford was upset because he was passed over for promotion, and Safeway denied this claim as well. Police said they had not been able to identify a motive.

Police said:

“Police have not been able to identify a motive.”

Safeway spokesman Jeff Stroh said there were no problems involving or generated by Mr. Ford in investigations: and

Whitman added:

“There was no clear motive,”

Sentencing / appeals / outcome

No sentencing, trial, appeals, or post-conviction outcomes were stated. The case ended with Ford being shot and killed by police during the confrontation with SWAT officers on June 25, 2006.

Aftermath

Safeway reopened at 4 a.m. about 12 hours later, and many employees returned to work.

Parts of the warehouse were reopened Monday, and store officials contacted grief counselors for employees needing help.

Police interviews were conducted with Ford’s family to determine a motive for his rampage. The record also said that police continued to look into all possibilities.

The record noted that the warehouse is usually a calm workplace and that most people get along. It also included a statement about workplace violence and OSHA statistics on workplace murders.