"I didn't want it to end like this": Woman posts chilling apology video before killing her manager and injuring a co-worker
Moments before a Texas woman opened fire at her workplace, killing her manager and injuring a co-worker in the process, she posted a video on her Facebook page allegedly apologizing for what she was about to do. On Monday at about 2 am, 38-year-old Kristine Peralez walked into her workplace at Ben E. Keith Foods Distribution Center in Missouri City with a gun and reportedly opened fire, authorities said.
While Francisco Reyes, the overnight manager at the store, was killed on the spot, co-worker Fedencio Janas sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and is expected to survive. That said, Peralez posted a Facebook Live video moments before the shooting and it looked like she was apologizing for what she was about to do, according to detectives.
Sharing the eerie video live on her father-in-law's Facebook page, Peralez can be heard saying, "This is your fault. I didn't want it to end like this. Tell my grandma I love her," she added. "I’m not crazy."
She also mentions that she had been pushed too hard for too long, according to the video. "I don’t know what triggered it to happen," the woman's father-in-law Tido Peralez told Click 2 Houston. "What I’m afraid of is – the things that happened to their families – these people’s families. They’re just as devastated as I am. Of course, they’re even more devastated because their loved one is gone."
According to a message posted by Peralez, her life was threatened 12 years ago and she was only left with two options, according to the outlet. Having said that, a Ben E. Keith Foods spokesperson said the incident caused a "tragic situation", leaving several employees bewildered. According to law enforcement, there were about 20 employees present at the warehouse during the shooting.
"Our thoughts are with the families of all involved. We are currently working with officials to provide any information useful to their active investigation," the company said.
Investigators are still trying hard to determine what caused Peralez to take the decision and open fire at her job. According to Missouri City police Capt. Paul Poulton, she was working with the company for over two years. When authorities responded to calls from the warehouse, they found Peralez in the parking lot. During the confrontation, Peralez was shot in the chest. Police are yet to confirm if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted or she was shot by the officers.
She later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital. Mike Berezin, the Missouri City police chief, said that on the day of the shooting, Peralez had spoken to "quite a few employees". "I think (the Facebook post) may have spelled (a motive) out for us all, but until we have an opportunity to review that -- it's too early in the investigation," Berezin said.