Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman says the gunman was a 15-year veteran at Henry Pratt Co. and was being terminated from the job Friday.
Ziman says the five people who were killed were employees at the company. Their names have not been publicly released.
Five officers were also shot. They were all taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Ziman credited officers for their quick response in preventing more people from being killed.
“Right now, we’re having somber moments because again, lives were lost. But we know this is what they do everyday. You wake up in the morning and put that uniform on and you don’t know what the day is going hold for you, just like those victims that went to work today,” said Ziman.
Police identified the gunman at Gary Martin, 45. He was shot and killed by police at the scene.
Investigators were at Martin’s residence on Friday night, searching for evidence that could lead to a motive or give an insight on whether the shooting was premeditated.
Ziman said Martin was armed with a Smith and Wesson handgun. No other weapons were found at the scene.
As she described what happened, Ziman said officers arrived on scene and were shot at. Then gunfire ceased for an hour and 35 minutes until SWAT officers found Martin inside the 29,000 square foot plant. When they found him, Ziman said he fired at officers again and they fired back, killing Martin.
Sources close to the investigation tell WLS-TV in Chicago that Martin started firing his weapon during his termination meeting.
One employee who was shot is also in the hospital. Their injuries are not life-threatening.
