Joe Louis Esquivel, 23, of Hedgesville, WV, was charged with multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, assault and weapons in connection with the Smithsburg massacre, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. He was behind bars without a tie on Friday night, officials said. Esquivel got in his car to get a gun after working a full shift at Columbia Machine, Inc. Thursday. He returned to the concrete factory break and allegedly opened fire on his colleagues around 2:30 p.m., according to authorities. After allegedly killing Mark Frey, 50, Charles Minnick Jr., 31? Joshua Wallace, 30, and seriously injuring another colleague, Esquivel fled in a Mitsubishi Eclipse before being stopped by state police about ten miles away, police said. Esquivel is now behind bars and is being held without bail An exchange of gunfire ensued with two Maryland State soldiers. Eskivel allegedly hit one of them and was shot when they returned fire, officials said. Both were hospitalized and are expected to survive. A search of the home of the alleged killer in West Virginia found additional firearms, sheriffs said. The identities and circumstances of the injured Columbia Machine worker were not disclosed.
