Authorities charged a Maryland manufacturing worker with dozens of offenses, including murder, after three employees were killed and two others were injured in a Thursday shooting.
Who is Joe Louis Esquivel?
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Joe Louis Esquivel, 23, of Hedgesville, WV, was charged with murder, attempted murder, assault, and weapons charges in connection with the Smithsburg massacre.
Officials say he was in custody with no bond on Friday night.
After working a full shift at Columbia Machine, Inc. on Thursday, Esquivel went to his car to obtain a gun. According to officials, he returned to the concrete product factory’s break room around 2:30 p.m. and allegedly opened fire on coworkers.
Esquivel fled in his Mitsubishi Eclipse after reportedly killing Mark Frey, 50, Charles Minnick Jr., 31, Joshua Wallace, 30, and badly wounded another coworker before being apprehended by state police approximately 10 miles away, according to authorities.
There was a shootout with two Maryland State Troopers. Officials said Esquivel allegedly struck one of them and was shot when they returned fire.
Both were admitted to the hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.
Additional firearms were discovered during a search of the alleged murderer’s West Virginia house, according to sheriffs.
The identities and circumstances of the Columbia Machine employee who was hurt were not revealed.
Mckourage