On August 13, 1903, a mass shooting occurred at a concert in Winfield, Kansas, United States. Nine people were killed and at least 25 others were injured before the perpetrator, 35-year-old Gilbert Twigg, killed himself.[4]
The indiscriminate attack, uncommon for its time, has been described as "the precursor of modern mass shootings".[5]
Massacre
Location of the massacre in 2026
At about 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, 1903, a concert was being held by W.H. Caman and his military band at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Main Street in Winfield for a crowd of approximately 2,000–5,000 people.[6][7][8] Twigg, while hidden in a nearby alley behind the city's Odd Fellows building, fired shots at the audience in rapid succession with a double-barreled shotgun.[7] Six died at the scene or shortly thereafter, and three later died in the hospital.[5][9] After two men who were attending the concert entered the alley to disarm Twigg, he fatally shot himself with his revolver.[1]
In his boarding room, police found a letter written by Twigg addressed to the public in which he expressed disappointment following a breakup nearly a decade earlier, as well as a desire to "[get] even" with residents of Winfield whom he felt had shunned him and interfered in his personal life. They also found a letter addressed to a friend in Montana and dated September 1, 1902, which ended with: "it would have been much better for me if I had gotten married and settled down as you have done—I have no doubt that you are very happy, while I am not."[1][5][9]
Victims
Eight of the nine deceased victims were:[10][11][12]
While in Winfield, he was an employee of Baden Mills and was known locally as "Crazy Twigg", though he was considered harmless, agreeable, and a hard worker.[6]
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