Byran Uyesugi

Mass Murderer

Byran Uyesugi and the 1999 Xerox Murders

Background

Byran Koji Uyesugi was a longtime Xerox service technician who carried out one of the deadliest workplace shootings in United States history. On November 2, 1999, Uyesugi entered a Xerox Corporation facility at 1200 North Nimitz Highway in Honolulu, Hawaii, and fatally shot seven men who worked with him. Six of the victims were fellow technicians, while one was his supervisor. Another employee escaped after Uyesugi fired in his direction. Uyesugi was 40 years old at the time of the murders. Born in Honolulu in 1959, he grew up in the Nuuanu area and attended President Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he participated in Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps activities and the school rifle team. He later studied electronics and began working for Xerox in 1984. For years, Uyesugi had reportedly experienced serious conflicts with his co-workers. He accused other technicians of harassing him, spreading rumors, sabotaging equipment and interfering with his personal property. Several of these accusations were described during his trial as unsupported or delusional. Co-workers also reported that he had previously spoken about committing workplace violence if he were fired.

Escalating Problems at Xerox

Uyesugi primarily repaired an older type of Xerox copying machine. By 1999, the company was replacing that equipment with newer models and expected technicians to complete additional training. Uyesugi resisted learning to service the replacement machines, reportedly believing that he would be unable to understand the new technology and would eventually lose his job. On November 1, 1999, Uyesugi's manager instructed him to report for training the following morning. Prosecutors later argued that this confrontation became the immediate trigger for the massacre. Uyesugi believed that refusing the training would result in his termination. Instead of reporting for instruction, he arrived armed and prepared to attack members of his work group. His employment history had already included a serious warning sign. In 1993, Uyesugi damaged an elevator door during an angry workplace incident and was arrested for third-degree criminal property damage. He was directed to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and anger-management treatment. The incident also affected his ability to obtain additional firearm permits, although he had already accumulated a substantial collection of legally registered weapons.

The Xerox Shooting

At approximately 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 1999, employees were gathering for a work-group meeting on the second floor of the Xerox Engineering Systems building at 1200 North Nimitz Highway. Uyesugi entered the building carrying a 9-millimeter Glock 17 semiautomatic pistol. Witnesses heard a series of loud gunshots and saw Uyesugi crouched with the pistol in his hand. Two employees were attacked in or near the meeting room. Uyesugi then moved through the workplace and shot five additional men. The victims had little or no opportunity to defend themselves or escape. Uyesugi fired 28 rounds during the attack. Twenty-five of those bullets struck victims. Seven employees were killed. He also fired toward another co-worker who fled from the building and escaped without being wounded. The attempted shooting of the surviving employee later resulted in a separate attempted-murder conviction. The massacre unfolded within minutes. Emergency calls brought Honolulu police officers, firefighters and medical personnel to the North Nimitz Highway building. Surviving Xerox employees were evacuated, while nearby streets and traffic lanes were closed. The seven victims were pronounced dead at the scene or after emergency personnel reached them. ...

Confirmed Victims: (7)

Jason Balatico 33 yr old Male

Man Opens Fire in Xerox Office