Badpuppy Gay Today

Tuesday, 10 June 1997

In a tragedy similar to that--two weeks ago-- of a distraught Brazilian husband who shot nearly 20 persons (see GayToday Archives-Top Stories May 27) because someone had made allegations he was a homosexual, a Long Beach, California man, Daniel S. Marsden, went on the rampage in a Santa Fe Springs plastics warehouse. In what was described as indiscriminate firing at employees, Marsden managed to kill two and wound four before fleeing and then committing suicide in Los Angeles in an intersection near a Mexican grocery store. The weapon he used to self-destruct was a 9 mm semiautomatic.

A few minutes before he put a gun to his mouth, Marsden had told two women passersby that he was living his last day.

Killed in the distraught man's attacks were Salvador Lara, 57, and Hamad Wardak, 39. The four others shot were said to be seriously wounded.

Marsden thought people at work were mocking him for his being perceived as gay, said co-workers. As he began firing, said a number of witnesses he was clearly heard shouting, "I'm not gay!".

The sudden burst of fire has left employee witnesses in shock. Omni Plastics has closed operations for a few days in order to let workers regain composure.

As to the killer's background, Marsden's only past conviction in a court of law had been in 1986 for "disturbing the peace," a charge to which he reportedly pled guilty to escape being charged with a more serious crime. He was sentenced at that time to 36 months probation. At Omni Plastics, Marsden had worked a year as a quality control inspector.

There had been talk of an argument between Marsden and a fellow employee, but no one now seems to know whether or not the argument happened. Cindy Mora, a payroll worker said that the killer didn't appear to be trying to fire at anybody in particular. There were 75 persons present in the plant when the shooting began.

A seated woman was among the first to be shot, followed by a standing male in the vicinity. Marsden then ran into a meeting room and shot three, while chasing and shooting a man who'd tried to run away. In all, he fired 15 or 16 shots.

Hamad Wardak is said to have died in the warehouse while Salvador Lara passed away in the hospital. Among the four others shot, three were men.

A vice-president of the plastics warehouse said that Marsden's rampage made no sense. It appeared, said the official, that he was firing at people with whom he had seemed to enjoy conversations. "It was just mass hysteria," said the payroll clerk, "Everyone was screaming 'Get down! Get out of the way!"