It was a crowded Luby’s Cafeteria on Interstate 190 at Killeen, Texas. On 16th October 1991, thirty five year old George Hennard of nearby Bell County, smashed his pickup truck through the front window showering diners with broken glass.

Hennard proceeded to exit the truck pull out two semi automatic pistols and started to randomly pick out and shoot targets. He shouted “Look at what Bell county has done to me” as he gunned down the screaming diners. Strangely he allowed Anica McNeill and her 4 year old daughter to escape tragically her mother was not so lucky and was shot dead.

If it wasn’t for the courageous actions of Tommy Vaughn many more would have come under fire. Vaughn launched himself through a side window suffering deep cuts to his shoulders, thus allowing diners to escape outside.

Suzanne Gratia Hupp was at the restaurant with her parents. She watched them both murdered in front of her. Suzanne had a gun but she had left it in her car at it was illegal to carry at the time. She felt that if she had the gun in her purse she could have stopped Hennard early on.

Armed police arrived at the scene and Hennard focused his attention on exchanging shots with the police outside. A police marksman fired the bullet that would eventually stop Hennard, he staggered into a corridor out the back and shot himself through the head, he died instantly.

What George Hennard left behind resembled a slaughterhouse. 24 people lay dead and a further 20 were injured. Helicopters and Ambulance’s were at the scene to ferry the wounded to the hospitals, a refrigerated lorry was used to carry the dead out of the Texas heat.

George Hennard was born on October 15th 1956 in Pennsylvania. After graduation he joined the Navy but was discharged in 1989 on drug charges and was accused of racism. He had a history of mental instability and was described as paranoid and troubled by friends.

George Hennard had acted alone but his motives for the killing remain unknown.