A man has been charged with murder Thursday after a shooting left 2 dead and 3 others injured in what prosecutors described as a “cold-blooded” attack at a linen company near Philadelphia. Wilbert Rosado-Ruiz, 61, has been charged with two counts of homicide, multiple counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and a firearms charge, according to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. He was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.

Details of the Incident

Rosado-Ruiz was charged in connection to a shooting that occurred Wednesday morning at Delaware County Linen in Chester, a city south of Philadelphia. The family-owned company provides linen rental and laundering services to businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania and surrounding states. The shooting appeared to stem from a dispute between Rosado-Ruiz and a female colleague, although the exact cause of the dispute remains unclear, authorities said. Two brothers, Leovanny Pena Pena and Giguenson Pena Pena, were killed, and three others, including the female colleague involved in the dispute, were wounded. As of Thursday afternoon, two of the surviving victims were in stable condition, while one was in critical but stable condition.

Methodical Shooting

According to Stollsteimer, surveillance video showed Rosado-Ruiz arriving at the business and having a verbal altercation with a female employee. He then left to make a phone call, returned with a gun, and began shooting. “He methodically walked around the floor of the business,” Stollsteimer said. The female colleague was the first victim, and she managed to leave the building after being shot. Rosado-Ruiz attempted to shoot her again outside but either misfired or ran out of ammunition. Rosado-Ruiz fled the scene but was apprehended shortly afterward when an officer in nearby Trainer, Pennsylvania, stopped his vehicle based on a description. Although Rosado-Ruiz legally owned the gun used in the shooting, he faced a weapons charge for not having a license to carry a concealed weapon.

Broader Trends in Mass Shootings

The shooting in Chester, Pennsylvania, is one of at least 168 mass shootings in the country so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Mass shootings are defined as incidents where at least four people are shot, not including the shooter.

This incident also adds to the tally of 15 mass killings in 2024. These killings involve four or more deaths, excluding the offender, within 24 hours. The shooting at Delaware County Linen underscores the ongoing challenge of gun violence and workplace safety in the United States. Investigations into the motive and circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing as the community mourns the loss of life and supports the recovery of those injured.