The Disturbing Incident At Chuck E. Cheese In 1993

On December 14, 1993, four employees were shot and killed, and a fifth was seriously injured, at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. The perpetrator, 19-year-old former employee Nathan Dunlap, was frustrated about being fired five months prior to the shooting and sought revenge. He hid in the restroom before exiting after closing and shooting five employees with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol.

Four employees were shot and killed

On December 14, 1993, four employees were shot and killed at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. The perpetrator, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, was a former employee of the restaurant who had been fired five months prior to the shooting. He entered the restaurant at 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played an arcade game before hiding in a restroom. At around 10:05 p.m., after the restaurant had closed, Dunlap emerged from the restroom and shot five employees with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol.

The victims who were shot and killed were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Colleen O'Connor, 17, and Margaret (Marge) Kohlberg, 50. All four victims died from gunshots to the head. Kohlberg, the store manager, was forced to unlock the safe before Dunlap shot her in the ear. As he was taking the cash out of the safe, he fired a second fatal shot through her other ear after noticing she was still moving.

Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 in cash and game tokens, as well as other stolen restaurant items. He was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours later. During his trial, prosecutors argued that Dunlap was seeking revenge for being fired from his job. In 1996, he was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges, and was sentenced to death by lethal injection.

A fifth employee was seriously injured

On December 14, 1993, a fifth employee was seriously injured during a mass shooting at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. The employee, 20-year-old Bobby Stephens, was shot in the jaw but survived the attack. After being shot, Stephens fell to the floor and played dead. The shooter, Nathan Dunlap, then forced the store manager, Marge Kohlberg, to unlock the safe. After stealing cash from the safe, Dunlap fired a second shot through Kohlberg's other ear, having noticed that she was still moving.

Stephens managed to escape through a back door and walked to the nearby Mill Pond apartment complex, where he alerted someone that he and others had been shot at the restaurant. Stephens was hospitalized at Denver General Hospital in fair condition.

Dunlap, a former employee of the restaurant, was frustrated about being fired five months before the shooting and sought revenge. He was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges, and was initially sentenced to death by lethal injection. However, Colorado's abolition of the death penalty in 2020 commuted Dunlap's sentence to life in prison without parole.

The perpetrator was a former employee

On December 14, 1993, a horrific incident took place at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. Four employees were shot and killed, and a fifth was seriously injured. The perpetrator of this heinous crime was 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, a former employee of the restaurant who had been fired five months prior.

Dunlap entered the restaurant at around 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played some arcade games. He then hid in the restroom until closing time at 10:05 p.m. As employees were cleaning up and closing the restaurant for the night, Dunlap emerged from the restroom and began his deadly attack. His first victim was 19-year-old Sylvia Crowell, who was shot from close range in the right ear as she cleaned the salad bar. Dunlap then shot 17-year-old Ben Grant near the left eye as he was vacuuming. Colleen O'Connor, also 17, was fatally shot through the temple. The gunman then turned his weapon on Bobby Stephens, 20, shooting him in the jaw. Fortunately, Stephens survived the attack and managed to escape through a back door.

Dunlap's final victim was the 50-year-old store manager, Marge Kohlberg. After forcing her to open the safe, he shot her in the ear. As he was taking the cash, he noticed she was still moving and fired a second fatal shot through her other ear. In total, Dunlap stole $1,500 in cash and game tokens before fleeing the scene.

Dunlap's motive for the shooting was his frustration over being fired from his job at Chuck E. Cheese's. He had a disagreement with his supervisor over work hours and felt wronged by his termination. Acquaintances reported that he was angry about being fired and had even told a former coworker that he planned to "get even." This anger and desire for revenge built up over the months following his firing, eventually leading to the tragic events of that December night.

Following the shooting, authorities launched an investigation and quickly identified Dunlap as the prime suspect. He was arrested at his mother's apartment just twelve hours after the shooting. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence of Dunlap's motive and his connection to the crime scene. The jury found him guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary. In 1996, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. However, his execution has been delayed multiple times due to legal appeals and temporary reprieves.

The Chuck E. Cheese shooting shocked the nation and sparked debates about gun control, mental health, and how to punish society's worst criminals. It was a tragic reminder of the dangers of workplace violence and the importance of addressing mental health issues before they escalate. The victims and their families were forever impacted by the actions of a disturbed individual seeking revenge for a perceived wrong.

The perpetrator stole money and restaurant items

On December 14, 1993, a horrific incident unfolded at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. Nineteen-year-old Nathan Dunlap, a former employee, entered the restaurant with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol, seeking revenge for being fired five months prior. After ordering a ham and cheese sandwich and playing arcade games, he hid in the restroom until closing time. As employees were cleaning up and closing the restaurant, Dunlap emerged from the restroom and began his deadly attack.

Dunlap's shooting spree left four employees dead and one seriously injured. The victims who lost their lives were Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Colleen O'Connor, 17, and Marge Kohlberg, 50, the store manager. They were all shot in the head, with Kohlberg being shot twice after Dunlap noticed she was still moving. The lone survivor, Bobby Stephens, 20, was shot in the jaw but managed to escape and seek help.

In addition to taking lives, Dunlap also stole money and restaurant items before fleeing the scene. He made off with $1,500 in cash and game tokens. Dunlap's motive was attributed to his frustration over being fired and his desire for revenge. He was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours after the shooting and was found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was later commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

The Chuck E. Cheese shooting in 1993 shocked the community and sparked debates about how to punish such heinous crimes. The incident also brought attention to the importance of addressing mental health issues, as Dunlap's attorneys argued that his undiagnosed bipolar disorder was a mitigating factor. The shooting remains a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence and the impact it has on victims, their families, and the community.

The perpetrator was sentenced to death

On December 14, 1993, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap opened fire in a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, killing four employees and injuring a fifth. Dunlap, a former employee, was frustrated about being fired five months before the shooting and sought revenge. He was arrested at his mother's apartment 12 hours later.

Dunlap was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges. He was initially sentenced to death by lethal injection on May 17, 1996. However, his execution was delayed multiple times due to appeals and temporary reprieves.

During the trial, Dunlap's attorneys argued that he had undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time of the crime, and his mental health issues were not properly considered during the trial. In 2008, Dunlap filed a habeas corpus petition, arguing that his trial attorney was ineffective by not presenting a defense related to his mental health and childhood abuse. This appeal was rejected.

In May 2013, Dunlap's execution date was set for mid-August 2013, but Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper granted him a temporary reprieve, postponing the execution indefinitely. Hickenlooper cited concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the death penalty, particularly regarding people of color. This decision was controversial and upset the victims' families and some politicians.

In 2020, Colorado abolished the death penalty, and Dunlap's sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is currently incarcerated at the Colorado State Penitentiary.

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