The Shootings
On July 1, 1993, 55-year-old failed entrepreneur Gian Luigi Ferri (born December 29, 1937 as Gianluigi Ettore Ferri) entered an office building at 101 California Street in San Francisco, and made his way to the offices of the law firm of Pettit & Martin on the 34th floor. Ferri's connection to that firm was unknown; it had advised him about some real estate deals in the Midwest in 1981, but had no contact with him ever since. After exiting an elevator, Ferri donned a pair of ear protectors and opened fire with a pair of TEC-9 handguns and a Chinese-manufactured copy of the Colt .45 or M1911 pistol. He reportedly used a mix of Black Talon and standard ammunition, and used Hellfire trigger systems for the TEC-9 pistols. After roaming the 34th floor, he moved down one floor through an internal staircase and continued shooting. The attack continued on several floors before Ferri committed suicide as San Francisco Police closed in. Eight people were killed in the attack, and six others injured.
The reason for the shootings was never determined. A typed letter left behind by Ferri contained a list of complaints, but the letter was largely unintelligible. Ferri claimed he had been poisoned by monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer in food, and that he had been "raped" by Pettit & Martin and other firms. The letter also contained complaints against the Food and Drug Administration, the legal profession (which he claimed gave "allegiance to the monarchy"), and a list of over 30 "criminals, rapists, racketeeres, lobbyists", none of whom were among his actual victims. Subsequent reports claimed that Ferri's issues related to a conference he had at a law firm on the 35th floor, and targeted Pettit & Martin by mistake.
Read more about this topic: 101 California Street Shootings