2009 Saipan shootings

Spree shooting in the Northern Mariana Islands December 2025 February 2023 Saipan.jpg Aerial view of northern Saipan, where the shootings took place Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, United States November 20, 2009 11:21 11:51 a.m."5 dead in Saipan shooting" UTC-10 Spree shooting mass murder murder-suicide drive-by shooting mass shooting 5 (including the perpetrator) 9"Police Identify Gunman in Saipan Rampage" Li Zhongren Frustration over financial situation * .223-caliber rifle .410 shotgun .22 WMR rifle (unused) Long gun (unused) On November 20, 2009, a spree shooting took place at two locations on Saipan, in the United States commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Four people, including two children were killed, and nine others were injured before the perpetrator, 42-year-old Li Zhongren, killed himself upon police arrival.Deaths in Saipan shooting 2009-11-20 http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/11/200911201100482593.html Aljazeera.com 2009-11-28 Shootings The first shooting took place at 11:21 a.m. at a shooting range in Kannat Tabla. The gunman opened fire on a group of two men and three children, who were at the range to prepare a birthday party. Eight gunshots were fired using a rifle and shotgun. The two adults, a four-year-old boy, and a 19-month-old girl were killed while a four-year-old girl was injured by a gunshot to the chest. All five were related to each other; the adults were uncle and nephew with their respective children. The family were relatives of the shooting range's former owner,2010-11-24 Victims of shooting rampage remembered https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/victims-of-shooting-rampage-remembered/article_d358195a-4b53-556e-abda-440d29cc73c9.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US and lived close to the range.2009-11-22 Police identify gunman in Saipan rampage https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34093545 NBC News en The perpetrator then left the scene in a white Toyota Previa vanCasas Gemma Q. De Guzman Andrew O. 2009-11-22 Shooter appeared to be ‘normal’ https://www.postguam.com/news/local/shooter-appeared-to-be-normal/article_f74e209b-13ad-5e72-9188-541b0fa48b38.html The Guam Daily Post en and drove several miles to Marpi, to the site of the Last Command Post Park, which was the location of Japan's last base for military commanders during World War II. About 60 people were taking pictures of the area. At 11:30 a.m., he fired his rifle thirty times at two tourist groups from inside his van. Seven tourists, consisting of five adults and two children, as well as a tour guide, all South Korean nationals, were injured by gunfire.2009-11-20 6 Koreans Wounded in Saipan Rampage - The Korea Times https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/20091120/6-koreans-wounded-in-saipan-rampage 2026-02-06 www.koreatimes.co.kr en Afterwards, he doused the van's interior with gasoline and set it on fire before walking north up the Banzai Cliff, firing twice more at the tourists at the cliff's monument. Upon arriving along the edge of the cliff, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with his rifle as police closed in. A search of the van's remains recovered three additional rifles and more than 750 rounds of ammunition."Saipan Shooting: Gunman Opens Fire On Pacific Island; 5 Dead""Authorities: Gunman kills 4, wounds 6 on Saipan" The shootings took place over the course of approximately thirty minutes and fired 41 rounds in total. Written notes were found at the shooting range, the exact contents of which were not to be released.Staff Variety News 2009-11-26 DPS: Gunman fired over 40 rounds https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/dps-gunman-fired-over-40-rounds/article_e9bd845d-645e-5fa0-8aa2-e391b833f7f6.html 2025-01-25 Marianas Variety News & Views en Victims Four people were killed and nine others were injured. The fatalities as well as one of the injured, all of whom were shot at the first location, were residents of Saipan, while the others were visiting from South Korea. The injured were treated at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, with one Korean national, who was in critical condition, being flown from the islands to Seoul National University Hospital for surgery for a spine injury, which resulted in paraplegia. Investigators believed that the victims were targeted at random. Three of the dead were buried in Marpi, while another was repatriated to his ancestral home in Tinian.2009-11-30 Labor: Gunman was a legal alien https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/labor-gunman-was-a-legal-alien/article_f1b2a3c7-0650-5e78-a1eb-6163eb3f0979.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US By November 25, the injured Saipan child was moved to a pediatric ward while the remaining seven injured were released, with most having returned to South Korea.Victims named in Saipan shooting https://www.kuam.com/story/11570240/victims-named-in-saipan-shooting 2021-05-27 www.kuam.com en 2009-11-20 Gunman opens fire on Pacific island Saipan; 5 dead https://www.deseret.com/2009/11/20/20354034/gunman-opens-fire-on-pacific-island-saipan-5-dead/ Deseret News en2009-11-24 Victims’ families ask: How did shooter obtain guns? https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/victims-families-ask-how-did-shooter-obtain-guns/article_e4b3cdd5-5c74-5f5d-92b9-f220be472404.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US2009-11-25 CHC: Shooting victim ‘doing well’ https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/chc-shooting-victim-doing-well/article_d33e6691-7911-56d3-be79-89fe3b536791.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US Killed Enrique Naputi, 30 Richard Borja Naputi, 22 Vince Rosario, 5 Korina Naputi, 1 Injured Dolores Naputi, 4 Park Jae-hyung, 39 Kim Juk Sik, 38 Kim Man Soo, 38 Kim Joon Hyung, 8 Kim Seo Yoon, 4 Three unnamed people Perpetrator thumb|Undated photo of Li The gunman was identified as 42-year-old Li Zhongren (李中仁), whose name was also rendered as Lee Zhong Ren. Li, a Chinese national of Korean descent,November 23, 2009 Saipan Shooting Spree Gunman Was Korean Chinese https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20091123/263814/1 The Dong-A Ilbo enNovember 22, 2009 Reports: Saipan Gunman was Korean Chinese http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=68301 KBS World en was previously a garment worker in As Lito for Rifu Corp. and Kyung Seung Co. Ltd. In 2008, he became a marketing representative for Rifu and was transferred to Kannat Tabla Shooting Range. The same year, Li filed a labor case against the shooting range's owner, Augustin C. Deleon Guerrero, over unpaid wages, which was decided in favor of Deleon Guerrero in May 2009.2009-11-25 Gunman: From garment worker to shooting range marketing rep https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/gunman-from-garment-worker-to-shooting-range-marketing-rep/article_230258a0-d04d-5f41-9d48-6b1fb079e5c3.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US2009-11-24 Gunman filed labor case vs shooting range https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/gunman-filed-labor-case-vs-shooting-range/article_fb617149-043b-5a03-9591-94bc005495e7.html Marianas Variety News & Views en-US Shortly after, Deleon Guerrero died and in early 2009, the shooting range closed down. Since then, Li had been living at the shooting range as the site's caretaker. He was known to have voiced discontent over his failed attempts at opening another shooting range. An acquaintance stated that Li was "troubled with his labor status", but otherwise maintained a regular social life. The van he traveled in during the shootings was still registered to his deceased employer. The rifles used in the shootings are believed to have been taken from the shooting range. It had been reported that he left a written note, variously described as a suicide note or last will, which stated "Negotiations for business have failed". Police officials believed that the shootings, reported as premeditated, were sparked by a frustration over financial issues. While Li's identity was confirmed the day of the shooting, Saipan authorities initially only described the shooter as "a contract worker in his 30s or 40s from Asia". The Pacific News Center reported Li's name and identity the same day.2009-11-20 Gunman kills 4, self on Pacific resort island of Saipan https://www.denverpost.com/2009/11/20/gunman-kills-4-self-on-pacific-resort-island-of-saipan/ The Denver Post en-US Following initial difficulties, Li's family were notified by Saipan police through the Consulate-General of China, Los Angeles, whereupon it was agreed to have Li's remains returned to Heilongjiang.November 23, 2009 塞班岛上向游客扫射致多人死伤 经济观察网 Investigation The FBI and ATF took charge in determining the motive. South Korean government officials had already discounted terrorism as a factor. Reactions The Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands Benigno Fitial said of the shooting, "My heart and prayers go out to the families and friends of the victims in today's shooting and most especially to those that were fatally wounded. The commonwealth has never experienced a tragic situation like this, and we are saddened by the appalling action of a single individual that has caused so much harm to our peaceful island community." Saipan Congressman Gregorio Sablan also commented, "The security we take for granted in our island homes has been broken by this senseless act of violence." Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, Eloy Inos, told reporters, "This is an unfortunate but isolated incident. It happened for reasons unbeknownst to us, but we can handle this type of situation." Following the announcement that South Korean tourists were among the injured, this led to fears that tourism rates would drop at Saipan. Schools across the island were shut down for the day out of safety concerns. 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