2 Brothers Dead, 3 Injured After Employee Opens Fire at Pa. Business: ‘Cold-Blooded Shooting’

Two brothers are dead and three others were injured after an argument led their co-worker to open fire inside their Pennsylvania workplace, authorities said.

Wilbert Rosado Ruiz, 61, was arrested on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and related offenses in connection with the Wednesday, May 22 shooting, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said at a press conference.

It’s unclear if he has entered a plea and online court records do not list an attorney who can speak on his behalf. 

The shooting happened around 8:30 a.m. that day at Delaware County Linen, where Rosado Ruiz, a longtime employee at the company, was seen having a dispute with one of the female employees. He then went outside, made a phone call, came back inside with a gun and allegedly started shooting and killing people, Stollsteimer said.

“This was a cold-blooded shooting,” Stollsteimer said. “This was an incident where he [allegedly] walked around the factory and started shooting at people.” Stollsteimer noted that investigators obtained video footage of Rosado Ruiz “methodically” walking around the business. 

Two employees were killed in the shooting. The fatal victims were identified by Stollsteimer as 29-year-old Leovanny Peña-Peña and 26-year-old Giguenson Peña-Peña, brothers from the Dominican Republic.

“They’re going to work on an average day to a job that’s providing for their family and they don’t come home,” Stollsteimer told reporters.

He added that three other people were injured during the shooting, including the female employee with whom Rosado Ruiz had a disagreement. Stollsteimer said she was able to exit the business but Rosado Ruiz allegedly followed her outside and fired several more shots. However, Stollsteimer said the suspect’s gun either ran out of bullets or became jammed, as the woman was not struck again.

Rosado Ruiz then allegedly fled the scene, but was later arrested nearby. Stollsteimer said Rosado Ruiz legally purchased the gun used in the shooting in 2018 but he did not have a license to carry and conceal it on his person, leading investigators to charge him with a firearm offense.

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Stollsteimer added that there were a number of concerns voiced about Rosado Ruiz prior to the shooting and that there was a meeting regarding his behavior at work the day prior. He declined to elaborate further on a possible motive.

“This is a horrible event,” Stollsteimer said. “It should have never happened.”

Chester Mayor Stefan Roots shared his condolences following the deadly shooting.

“Today was a tough day in Chester,” Roots said in a statement posted to Facebook on May 22. “In a scene that has become all too common in America, employees of a local business were victims of a workplace shooting that left at least 2 dead and 3 others injured. Thank you to our first responders who quickly apprehended the suspect and rushed the wounded to the hospital.”

The statement continued, “My heart is broken for the victims, their families, the survivors and co-workers, and neighbors and residents across our city. Much support for all affected will be needed in the days ahead. As mayor, I will continue to work with our Police Department, elected officials, and community partners to make Chester a safe place to live.”