Suspect in Wisconsin Grocery Warehouse Killings Identified

Suspect in Wisconsin Grocery Warehouse Killings Identified
File photo of a police car. (Diego Parra/Pixabay)
The Associated Press
3/18/2021
Updated:
3/18/2021

OCONOMOWOC, Wis.—A man suspected of killing two co-workers at a Wisconsin grocery distribution warehouse before fatally shooting himself was a 41-year-old from suburban Milwaukee, a law enforcement official said Thursday.

Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Nicholas Ollinger identified him as Fraron Cornelius, of Wauwatosa. Police said the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday morning after crashing his car following a pursuit in Milwaukee.

The man fatally shot the workers Tuesday night at the Roundy’s distribution center in Oconomowoc, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Milwaukee, according to Thomas Bennett, secretary-treasurer of General Teamsters Local Union No. 200. Bennett said all three were long-time Roundy’s employees and union members.

Law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed whether the two who died were shot.

Wauwatosa officers executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home Wednesday, according to police spokeswoman Abby Pavlik. It wasn’t immediately clear what evidence police were seeking at the house.

Union stewards said the two men were shot in different areas of the massive warehouse, according to Bennett. One was shot in the loading dock and the other was shot in an upper area of the facility.

One of the victims was Kevin Kloth, 50, of Germantown, his mother, Nancy Kloth, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His name and the identity of the other victim hadn’t been released by authorities as of Thursday morning.

Bennett said he was unaware of any dispute between the shooter and the victims.

“All three of these workers were very important during this pandemic because they worked very hard to serve our community,” Bennett said, adding that it often meant long hours.

“Maybe things wear on you after while,” Bennett said.

Authorities have released few details about the attack, which led to a temporary lockdown of the facility.

The Roundy’s complex employs close to 1,000 people, according to the Journal Sentinel. Roundy’s is a subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger, which operates Pick ’n Save and Metro Market stores in Wisconsin and Mariano’s grocery stores in northern Illinois.