Aurora Chuck E Cheese: A Chaotic Night

On December 14, 1993, a mass shooting took place at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, United States. 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, a former employee, shot and killed four employees and seriously injured a fifth. The attack was an act of revenge for being fired from the restaurant five months prior. Dunlap 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, in 2020, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

The perpetrator, Nathan Dunlap, was a former employee seeking revenge

Dunlap's first shot was at Sylvia Crowell, 19, who was cleaning the salad bar. He shot her from close range in the right ear, and she was mortally wounded. Ben Grant, 17, was fatally shot near the left eye as he was vacuuming. Colleen O'Connor, 17, was also fatally shot once through the temple. Bobby Stephens, 20, the lone survivor of the shooting, had been on a smoke break outside and was returning to the restaurant when Dunlap shot him in the jaw. Stephens fell to the floor and played dead. Dunlap then forced Marge Kohlberg, 50, the store manager, to unlock the safe. After she opened it, Dunlap shot her in the ear. He then fired a second fatal shot through Kohlberg's other ear when he noticed she was still moving.

Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 worth of cash and game tokens he stole from inside the restaurant. He was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours later. Dunlap was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary in 1996 and was initially sentenced to death by lethal injection. However, in 2020, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

Four employees were killed, and one was injured

On December 14, 1993, four employees were killed, and one was injured in a mass shooting 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. Frustrated about his termination, Dunlap sought revenge by carrying out the attack.

Dunlap entered the restaurant at 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played an arcade game. He then hid in the restroom until closing time at 10:05 p.m. As employees were cleaning up after hours, Dunlap emerged from the restroom and shot five of them with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol. The victims who were fatally shot were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Colleen O'Connor, 17, and Margaret (Marge) Kohlberg, 50. They all died from gunshots to the head, with Kohlberg being shot twice through each ear.

Bobby Stephens, 20, was the lone survivor of the shooting. He had stepped out for a smoke break and returned to the restaurant as Dunlap was shooting his colleagues. As Stephens was unloading utensils into the dishwasher, Dunlap came through the kitchen door, raised the handgun, and fired a shot that struck Stephens in the jaw. Stephens fell to the floor and played dead, after which Dunlap forced Kohlberg to open the safe. Dunlap then shot Kohlberg in the ear and fired a second fatal shot when he noticed she was still moving.

Stephens managed to escape through a back door and sought help at a nearby apartment complex. He was hospitalized at Denver General Hospital in fair condition. Authorities arrived at the scene and found two bodies in the restaurant's hallway, one in a room off the hallway, and the fourth in the manager's office. Crowell was also sent to the hospital, where she was declared brain dead and died from her injuries the next day.

Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 worth of cash and game tokens. He was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours later. During the trial, Dunlap's attorney argued that he had undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time of the crime. Dunlap was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges, and was initially sentenced to death. However, in 2020, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

Dunlap was arrested 12 hours after the shooting

On December 14, 1993, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap entered a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, at 9:00 p.m. He ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, played arcade games, and hid in the restroom. At 10:05 p.m., Dunlap exited the restroom and shot five employees with a .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol, killing four and injuring one. The victims were Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Colleen O'Connor, 17, and Marge Kohlberg, 50. Bobby Stephens, 20, was the lone survivor.

Dunlap was a former employee of the restaurant and was frustrated about being fired five months prior to the shooting. He fled the scene with $1,500 in cash and game tokens, as well as stolen restaurant items. Dunlap was arrested at his mother's apartment 12 hours after the shooting.

The shooting shocked the community and sparked discussions about gun violence, mental health, and the ease of acquiring firearms. The public reaction set a template for debates in the aftermath of similar tragedies. The legal proceedings that followed were lengthy and emotionally charged for those involved. Dunlap was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges, and was initially sentenced to death. However, his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 2020 after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

Bobby Stephens was the lone survivor

On December 14, 1993, 20-year-old Bobby Stephens was the lone survivor of a mass shooting 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 was frustrated about being fired five months prior to the shooting and sought revenge. Dunlap entered the restaurant at 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played an arcade game. He then hid in the restroom and exited after closing at 10:05 p.m.

Stephens, who was outside taking a smoke break, returned to the restaurant and began unloading utensils into the dishwasher. As he walked in, Dunlap came through the kitchen door, raised a handgun at him, and fired a shot that struck Stephens in the jaw. Stephens fell to the floor and played dead. Despite being seriously injured, Stephens managed to escape through a back door and walk to the nearby Mill Pond apartment complex, where he alerted someone that he and others had been shot. He was hospitalized at Denver General Hospital in fair condition.

Dunlap went on to shoot and kill four employees: Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Colleen O'Connor, 17, and Marge Kohlberg, 50. He also stole $1,500 worth of cash and game tokens before fleeing the scene. Dunlap was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours later and was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges. He was initially sentenced to death but his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 2020 after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

For Stephens, the shooting has continued to loom in his life, with the legal proceedings and appeals process stirring up emotions and preventing him from fully moving on. He has dealt with the aftermath of the trauma, including reconstructive surgery, flashbacks, and struggles with his mental health. Despite his personal belief that death is the appropriate punishment for Dunlap, Stephens also wants to respect the opinions of the family members of the victims, not all of whom favor execution.

Dunlap was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison

On May 17, 1996, Nathan Dunlap was sentenced to death by lethal injection. Dunlap was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and other charges. During his sentencing, he went on a three-minute outburst, swearing repeatedly. Dunlap's execution date was initially set for August 2013, but Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a temporary reprieve, postponing the execution.

Dunlap's lawyers appealed the death sentence, arguing that Dunlap's trial lawyers were negligent during the sentencing by not providing evidence of his mental illness. This appeal was rejected in August 2010. Senior U.S. District Judge John L. Kane wrote that Dunlap was "fairly tried, competently represented, and justifiably sentenced to death".

In 2013, Governor Hickenlooper decided against executing Dunlap or granting him clemency, instead signing a "temporary reprieve". This reprieve meant that as long as Hickenlooper remained governor, Dunlap was unlikely to be executed. Groups such as the NAACP contacted Hickenlooper, requesting that Dunlap's life be spared, arguing that the death penalty is disproportionately imposed on African Americans and Hispanics.

In 2018, Jared Polis was elected governor. During his campaign, Polis stated that he intended to sign a bill repealing the death penalty in Colorado. On March 23, 2020, Polis signed this bill, commuting the sentences of all three men on death row, including Dunlap, to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Dunlap remains incarcerated at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Cañon City.

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