William Baker

Mass Murderer

Steven Michael Stagner and the 2001 Rifle, Colorado Massacre

Overview

Late on July 3, 2001, Steven Michael "Mike" Stagner carried out a shooting spree near a grocery store and neighboring residential community in Rifle, Colorado. The 42-year-old gunman targeted Hispanic residents in an attack that left four people dead and three others wounded. The shootings began at approximately 11:45 p.m., only minutes before the start of the Independence Day holiday. Stagner was armed with a .38-caliber Charter Arms revolver when he approached the outdoor pay-phone area near the City Market grocery store at 1320 Rail Avenue. He fired upon people who were using the phones or standing nearby before continuing across the property toward the adjacent Bookcliff trailer and recreational-vehicle park. Police arrested him shortly after the shootings.

The Shooting at City Market

The violence began outside the City Market grocery store, where Juan Manuel Hernandez-Carrillo was speaking on a pay phone. Stagner approached and fatally shot the 44-year-old man. The sudden attack gave those nearby little warning that an armed assailant was moving through the parking lot. Stagner then crossed the parking area and encountered 19-year-old Angelica Toscano, whose first name was also reported as Anjelica in some accounts. Toscano was reportedly using a telephone to speak with family members in Mexico when she was shot. She survived the initial attack but suffered critical injuries and died approximately three days later, on July 6, 2001.

Murders at the Bookcliff Trailer Park

After firing near the grocery store, Stagner continued toward the nearby Bookcliff trailer and RV park. There, he shot brothers Melquiades Medrano-Velasquez and Juan Carlos Medrano-Velasquez. Melquiades was 23 years old, while Juan Carlos was 22. Both men were killed during the attack. The shootings unfolded across a compact area containing the grocery-store parking lot, outdoor telephones and the neighboring residential park. By the time the attack ended, four people had been fatally wounded and three additional victims had suffered gunshot injuries. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Michael Victor Brus 48 yr old Male

Ex-Employee Kills 4