Wreath-laying ceremony honors victims of Henry Pratt plant shooting in Aurora, Illinois, 7 years later

Sunday marks seven years since a mass shooting that killed five employees at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois.

Six others, including five Aurora police officers, were also injured in the shooting on Feb. 15, 2019.

Authorities said the gunman, Gary Martin, was upset after he was told he was being fired for a safety violation.

Plant employees Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard, and Trevor Wehner were killed.

The shooter was chased by police and killed during an exchange of gunfire.

On Sunday, the City of Aurora held a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the lives of the victims at Aurora City Hall, 44 E. Downer Pl. Mayor John Laesch made remarks.

"Today's memorial is a day of remembrance, it's a day for the family members of this tragic shooting to grieve, and it's a day for our community to be there for one another—reminding us all that we're stronger together," Laesch said.

Abby Parks, the widow of Clayton Parks, also spoke at the ceremony. She attended with her son, Axel, who was less than a year old at the time of the 2019 shooting.

"This day carries a lot of heaviness that hasn't gotten easier to hold over the years, but I know that we're not doing it alone, and I'm reminded of that every single year when I come here, when I talk with people in this community, when I see coworkers that show up, police officers who were there, firefighters, people that risked their lives that day — I know that I'm carrying this, but I'm not the only one that's carrying this," Parks said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-Illinois) has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to honor the victims of the Henry Pratt shooting. The resolution is co-sponsored by the entire Illinois Democratic House delegation.

"On February 15, 2019, five members of the Aurora community were taken far too soon in a senseless act of gun violence. It's hard to believe it has been nearly seven years since this tragedy, and our hearts go out to the victims' friends and families during this difficult time of remembrance," Rep. Foster said in a statement issued Saturday. "I'm proud to introduce this resolution to honor the victims' memories and the courage of the police officers who rushed into danger to protect innocent people, six of whom were injured in the shooting. We cannot forget the events of that day, and we must remain committed to putting an end to these tragedies once and for all."

The Henry Pratt Company manufactures industrial valves.

The company eventually closed its Aurora plant in 2022, consolidating its operations into a new plant in Tennessee.