KILLEEN — 1991 · Major Tragedy
The Luby's Cafeteria Massacre
On 16 October 1991, Bosses' Day, a 35-year-old gunman drove his pickup truck through the front window of an unusually crowded Luby's cafeteria in Killeen and opened fire on those inside. In about twelve minutes 23 people were killed and 27 wounded. Wounded in a gunfight with police, the attacker refused to surrender and took his own life. It was then the deadliest mass shooting by a single perpetrator in modern U.S. history, a record it held until the Virginia Tech attack in 2007. The victims' names are inscribed on a memorial in Killeen, and the attack shaped debate over Texas's concealed-carry laws.
- Date
- 1991
- Place
- Bell County, Texas, USA, Killeen, US
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 31.1100, -97.7180 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 16 October 1991The gunman crashed into the cafeteria and opened fire; 23 died.
- 16 October 1991Wounded by police, the attacker took his own life.
- 2007It remained the deadliest single-shooter attack in the U.S. until Virginia Tech.
- 2016Killeen continued to hold remembrance ceremonies at the memorial.
Sources
- Killeen Daily Herald — 33 years ago: Tragedy struck Killeen on Oct. 16, 1991 kdhnews.com ↗
- KXXV — Anniversary of Luby's Massacre kxxv.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Luby's shooting en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Killeen Daily Herald
- KXXV
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.