The Day Chuck E. Cheese Stood Still In 1987

On December 14, 1993, a horrific mass shooting took place at a Chuck E. Cheese in Aurora, Colorado, resulting in the deaths of four employees. The perpetrator, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, was a former employee of the restaurant, who was frustrated about being fired and sought revenge. This tragic incident, known as the Chuck E. Cheese Massacre, marked a dark day in the history of Aurora and left an indelible mark on the community.

Four employees were 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 9:50 p.m., he exited the restroom after closing and began his attack.

Dunlap was armed with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol and shot five employees, killing four of them. The victims who lost their lives were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Margaret Kohlberg, 50, and Colleen O'Connor, 17. All four died from gunshots to the head. Kohlberg, the store manager, was forced to unlock the safe at gunpoint and was shot twice, the second shot fired as she was still moving on the floor. Dunlap then fled the scene with $1,500 in cash and game tokens.

Dunlap's actions were fuelled by a desire for revenge against the restaurant for terminating his employment. He had a history of mental health issues, with his biological mother diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and he had previously attempted suicide. He had also been incarcerated for several armed robberies committed when he was 15 years old.

Dunlap was arrested at his mother's apartment twelve hours after the shooting. He was found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary. Initially sentenced to death, Dunlap's sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 2020 after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

One employee was injured

On December 14, 1993, 20-year-old Bobby Stephens was working at a Chuck E. Cheese in Aurora, Colorado. It was a regular evening shift, and Stephens had just taken a smoke break outside. As he walked back into the restaurant, he was unaware of the horror unfolding inside.

Unbeknownst to Stephens, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, a former employee of the restaurant, had entered the premises at 9:00 p.m. that evening. Dunlap had been frustrated about being fired from his job as a cook five months prior and sought revenge. He had a plan for retaliation. After ordering a ham and cheese sandwich and playing an arcade game, he hid in one of the restaurant's restrooms at around 9:50 p.m.

At 10:05 p.m., just after the restaurant closed, Dunlap emerged from the restroom. He was armed with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol and began his deadly attack. Dunlap first shot 19-year-old Sylvia Crowell, who was cleaning the salad bar. She was hit from close range in the right ear and was mortally wounded. Dunlap then shot 17-year-old Ben Grant near the left eye as he was vacuuming, and 17-year-old Colleen O'Connor through the temple, killing them both instantly.

As Stephens unloaded utensils into the dishwasher, unaware of the danger, Dunlap appeared through the kitchen door, raised his handgun, and fired. The shot struck Stephens in the jaw, and he fell to the floor, playing dead to survive. Dunlap then turned his attention to 50-year-old Marge Kohlberg, the store manager. He forced her to unlock the safe and, after taking the cash inside, shot her in the ear. When he noticed she was still moving, he fired a second fatal shot through her other ear.

Stephens, the sole survivor of the shooting, managed to escape through a back door. He walked to the nearby Mill Pond apartment complex, desperately seeking help. He was hospitalized at Denver General Hospital in fair condition. The authorities arrived at the scene to find two bodies in the restaurant's hallway, a third in a room off the hallway, and the fourth in the manager's office. Crowell, although brain dead, was transported to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries the following day.

Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 in cash and game tokens, leaving behind a trail of devastation and heartbreak. He was arrested at his mother's apartment just twelve hours later. The shooting sparked widespread outrage and prompted discussions about capital punishment in the state. Dunlap was found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary, and was initially sentenced to death. However, in 2020, his sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty.

The perpetrator was a former employee

On December 14, 1993, a deadly shooting occurred at a Chuck E. Cheese in Aurora, Colorado. Four employees were killed, and a fifth was seriously injured. The perpetrator was identified as 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, a former employee of the restaurant. Dunlap had been fired from Chuck E. Cheese five months prior to the shooting and was frustrated about the termination. He sought revenge by carrying out the attack.

Dunlap entered the restaurant at around 9:00 p.m. and hid in the restroom until after closing. He then emerged and shot five employees with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol, killing four of them. The victims who lost their lives were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Margaret Kohlberg, 50, and Colleen O'Connor, 17. They all died from gunshots to the head. Bobby Stephens, 20, was the sole survivor of the shooting. He was shot in the jaw but managed to escape and seek help.

Dunlap fled the scene with stolen money and restaurant items, including game tokens worth $1,500. He was arrested at his mother's apartment about 12 hours later. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Dunlap's motive was revenge for being fired from his job at Chuck E. Cheese. He was found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, and burglary. Initially, he was sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020.

The shooting at Chuck E. Cheese in 1993 shocked the community and sparked discussions about capital punishment and how to address 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 in his actions.

The perpetrator was 19 years old

On December 14, 1993, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap shot and killed four employees of a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. The victims were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Margaret Kohlberg, 50, and Colleen O'Connor, 17. They all died from gunshots to the head. Dunlap also seriously injured a fifth employee, 20-year-old Bobby Stephens, who was shot in the jaw but managed to escape and survive.

Dunlap was a former employee of the restaurant and had been fired about five months before the shooting. He was frustrated about being fired and sought revenge by committing the attack. On the day of the shooting, Dunlap entered the restaurant at 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played an arcade game. He then hid in a restroom and exited after closing time. He shot five employees with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol, killing four of them. Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 worth of cash and game tokens he stole from the restaurant.

Dunlap was arrested about 12 hours later on December 15, 1993, and was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Dunlap was seeking revenge after being fired from his job as a cook. In 1996, Dunlap was convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, theft, and burglary. He was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020.

Dunlap's attorneys argued that he had undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time of the crime and that his mental health issues were not properly addressed during his 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 history of child abuse. This appeal was rejected, and subsequent appeals for clemency and temporary reprieves from execution were granted and then postponed by different governors.

In summary, the 1993 Chuck E. Cheese's shooting in Aurora, Colorado, was a tragic event that claimed the lives of four young people and seriously injured a fifth. The perpetrator, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap, was a disgruntled former employee who sought revenge for being fired. He was convicted of multiple crimes and initially sentenced to death, but ultimately had his sentence commuted to life in prison without parole due to the abolishment of the death penalty in Colorado.

The perpetrator was arrested 12 hours later

On December 14, 1993, 19-year-old Nathan Dunlap shot and killed four employees of a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Aurora, Colorado. The perpetrator was arrested 12 hours later, on December 15, 1993, at his mother's apartment.

Dunlap had been fired from the restaurant five months prior to the shooting and sought revenge. On the day of the shooting, he entered the restaurant at 9:00 p.m., ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, and played an arcade game. He then hid in a restroom and exited after closing at 10:05 p.m. He shot five employees with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol, killing four of them. The victims were identified as Sylvia Crowell, 19, Ben Grant, 17, Margaret Kohlberg, 50, and Colleen O'Connor, 17. They all died from gunshots to the head.

Dunlap fled the scene with $1,500 in cash and game tokens, as well as restaurant items. He was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Dunlap was seeking revenge after being fired. Dunlap's attorneys argued that he had undiagnosed bipolar disorder at the time of the crime.

In 1996, Dunlap was convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery, theft, and burglary. He was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life in prison without parole after Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020.

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