Wayne Bowers, 43, was killed on December 18, 1997, during a shooting spree at a Caltrans maintenance yard in Orange, California. The attacker, Arturo Reyes Torres, a former Caltrans employee who had been fired about six weeks earlier after being caught on video allegedly selling scrap aluminum from the yard, returned to the site armed with an assault rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun.

Torres arrived in a brown Mercedes and, according to witnesses, methodically shot multiple people; Bowers was among the first killed. The rampage left four dead and several wounded before it ended in a shootout with police in which Torres was fatally shot. The incident is described as one of Orange County’s deadliest shooting sprees.

Investigators reported Torres had longstanding grievances with his former employer, and the attack prompted discussion about workplace security. The families and colleagues of the victims continue to mourn their losses and remember the victims for their dedication and service.

If anyone knew Wayne Bowers or was at the Caltrans yard that day, please share what you remember.