Peter Maguadog

Timeline

• February 26, 2001 — Peter Aguon Maguadog fatally shot his ex-wife and another woman at a Seventh Day Adventist Clinic on Guam before being mortally wounded by police during a shoot-out; four other people were wounded.
• February 27, 2001 — A special service was held at the Agana Heights Adventist Church to remember the dead and pray for the wounded.
• February 27, 2001 — The clinic offered its first group counseling session.
• February 28, 2001 — As of Wednesday night, all the victims of the shooting with the exception of Jordan Urban had been released from Guam Memorial Hospital; Urban remained in the hospital with improved condition and was no longer in the intensive care unit.
• February 28, 2001 — The Guam Police Department finished its investigation of the crime scene and returned control of the premises to clinic officials.
• February 28, 2001 — At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Mike Mahoney reported limited services would be available Thursday.

Background

Peter Aguon Maguadog was 44 and was armed with two handguns as he made his way through the Seventh Day Adventist Clinic, where his wife worked as a nurse. Maguadog and his wife were divorcing, and a restraining order barred Maguadog from coming within 500 feet of his wife. More than 100 people, including children, were in the building when the gunfire erupted. Maguadog appeared to have singled out only his wife and had shot the others at random. The Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic was established in 1955 and was described as a multi-specialty medical and dental clinic employing more than 200 people.

The offence

On February 26, 2001, Peter Aguon Maguadog entered the Seventh Day Adventist Clinic at about 11:30 a.m. and in the following minutes fatally shot his ex-wife, Lucia Maguadog, and Bernadette Moreno. Lucia Maguadog was a nurse at the clinic and was described as estranged from her husband, Peter Maguadog. Bernadette Moreno was 27 and was also a nurse at the clinic.

Four other people were wounded in the attack before police fatally wounded Maguadog. The wounded were described as:

• Betty Vence, 56, chief accountant
• Tom Kim, 46, business consultant
• Anthony Cruz Jr., 26, supply clerk
• Jordan Urban, 29, Guam Adventist Academy accountant

In addition, four clinic employees were described as wounded by gunfire, and the shooter was wounded by police fighting for his life.

Maguadog met Anthony Cruz, a former co-worker, and asked him to help locate Lucia Maguadog. A nursing supervisor told Cruz that Maguadog was not to see his wife by court order, and Cruz was left to find her on his own. Maguadog found his wife in the Urgent Care area, shot her at point blank range in the head, and then turned his gun on nurse Bernadette Moreno, who was fatally wounded.

Police reports described Maguadog encountering Cruz again and shooting him in the neck at point blank range. Cruz fled to call his mother and newlywed wife of one month, Julie. After contacting both, he was taken by a maintenance supervisor to clinic doctors who stabilized him.

Maguadog reloaded his gun and proceeded back downstairs into the accounting department. There, he found chief accountant Betty Vence, who had fired him in February 2000, and Jordan Urban. Vence said:

“Pete walked in the door, stood outside my office and said: ‘You’ve ruined my life, and now you’re going to die,’” She said that had she not raised her hand in front of her face while Maguadog fired his gun she would also be dead. “The gunman’s bullet passed through her hand while just after that, Maguadog then wounded Urban.”

Maguadog proceeded into consultant Tom Kim’s office and took him hostage, shooting him twice in the leg. Kim said that Maguadog stated:

“I am a freedom fighter for the Chamorros. I will be the first one who will die and hopefully the last one to die for this cause.”

Almost 20 minutes had passed since Maguadog entered the clinic when Guam policemen arrived on the scene. Kim described beginning struggling with Maguadog for the gun because he was in a “do or die” situation. Kim said that another shot went off which ripped through his right shoulder. Kim continued attempting to get the gun, and he said that the gun jammed and no other shots were fired. Kim said that just as he was about to pass out from his injuries, GPD officers arrived and shot Maguadog twice.

Investigation

The Guam Police Department finished its investigation of the crime scene on February 28 and returned control of the premises to clinic officials. At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Mike Mahoney reported limited services would be available Thursday.

Arrest

Police mortally wounded Peter Aguon Maguadog during a shoot-out on February 26, 2001. He died at Guam Memorial Hospital.

Trial

No trial information was provided.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was provided.

Appeals

No appeals information was provided.

Outcome

Peter Aguon Maguadog was killed during a shoot-out with police on February 26, 2001, after fatally shooting Lucia Maguadog and Bernadette Moreno and wounding four others at the Seventh Day Adventist Clinic on Guam.

Killed:

• Lucia Maguadog, 43, nurse, who was estranged from her husband, Peter Maguadog
• Bernadette Moreno, 27, nurse
• Peter Aguon Maguadog, 44, former clinic employee and alleged gunman

Wounded:

Aftermath

The healing process following the February 26 shooting began, with physical wounds of the survivors healing more quickly than emotional wounds, according to local Adventist Church leaders.

As of Wednesday night, February 28, all the victims of the shooting with the exception of Jordan Urban had been released from Guam Memorial Hospital. Urban remained in the hospital, his condition had improved, and he was no longer in the intensive care unit. Remenster Jano, executive secretary of the Adventist Church in Guam-Micronesia, said:

“We visited JC yesterday and while he is very weak, he was responsive and we were able to talk and pray with him for a few minutes,”

Doctors attending Urban reported that they expected him to be released from the hospital within the next week.

The day after the shooting, the emotional healing began with a special service held at the Agana Heights Adventist Church to remember the dead and pray for the wounded. Over 440 members of the community packed the church to capacity. Those in attendance included clinic staff, family members of the victims, Guam legislators, and members of the press. Several Adventist pastors including Willy Nobuo, the president of the Adventist Church in Guam-Micronesia, spoke reminding the audience of the promises the Bible holds for believers during difficult circumstances.

Julie Emmanuel, human resource director at the clinic, remembers Lucia Maguadog and Bernadette Moreno as being very different. Emmanuel said:

“If variety is the spice of life, then Lucia and Bernie enriched our lives,”

Emmanuel described Maguadog as a strong and resilient person who commanded respect and described Moreno as a person who loved to laugh and make others happy.

Mass was held at several Catholic Churches around the island, which was described as 85 percent Roman Catholic. Tuesday evening, February 27, the clinic offered its first group counseling session. Three more sessions were offered Wednesday. Mike Mahoney, clinic administrator, indicated that further sessions would be available if there was a demand for them, and he said individual counseling would also be available to anyone who wanted it.

Mahoney said some employees were ready to return to work and others were not. He said:

“We have assured them that we will work with them as long as it takes for them to be prepared to go in,” “Nobody is going to be rushed into doing something they don't want to do.”

Mahoney felt there were enough staff willing and ready to work to open the clinic partially.

Willy Nobuo expressed thanks for people and organizations around the world that lifted up prayers for those affected by the tragedy. He said:

“I have received messages from all over the world telling me we are being remembered in prayer,” “It has been a much needed boost to our heavy hearts to know our brothers and sisters in Christ are praying for us.”