Joseph Mazza

On August 26, 1926, **Joseph H. Mazza**, a 36-year-old Italian American man, fatally shot two men and wounded two others with a shotgun in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The shooting started in the Roosevelt Road Terminal at Illinois Central Depot and continued at a restaurant. Fifteen minutes after the shooting began, Charles Danloff, the owner of a nearby barbershop, shot him between the eyes with a pistol, instantly killing him.

## Background

Mazza, a Sicilian immigrant, was born between 1889 and 1890. At the time of the shooting, he was employed as a track laborer. His killing spree was initially believed to have been motivated by alcohol or the heat, but it is now believed that he held a grudge against his employers.

During his shooting, Mazza was armed with a 12-guage shotgun. The slow action of his old model single-barreled gun prevented him from obtaining a higher victim count. He also had 90 rounds of ammunition on him—which he concealed in a woman's handbag—and a knife dangling from his neck.

## Shooting

At 9:30 on August 26, 1926 Mazza first walked into a nearly empty platform inside Illinois Central Depot. There, Mazza walked up to passenger agent Joseph Edwards, 40, and shot him in the back. Edwards, who had been inspecting a railroad car near the stairway, immediately fell to the ground as Mazza reloaded his weapon. Edwards died from his injuries the following day after being transported to a hospital.

Mazza then turned to Timothy Lynch, a special agent standing next to Edwards, and said: "You're next, I'll get even with all of you!" Lynch drew his revolver and fired at the gunman, but repeatedly missed. Once Mazza finished reloading his shotgun, he fired back at Lynch, who ran for cover behind a railroad car. Frank Miller, another special agent, heard gunfire from the waiting room and began to shoot at Mazza as well.

Mazza fled eastward, then turned north and ran up the steps that led to a platform accessible to passengers from the street. There, he opened fire into the crowd. Taxi drivers, passengers, and bystanders all screamed and scattered in an attempt to avoid the gunfire. At the entrance of the Parkview restaurant, Mazza saw two pullman porters: Van Reeves, 36; and Willie Miller, 39. He advanced toward them and sprayed a buckshot, slightly injuring them both. He reloaded once again and fatally shot Louis Kikakos, a waiter who had dashed out of the kitchen.

At the same time, Charles Danloff, a World War I veteran and owner of a local barbershop, heard gunshots and people screaming. Danloff, armed with a revolver, rushed out of his shop and confronted the gunman. Mazza shouted a crude threat at Danloff and shot at him, but missed. Danloff then returned fire. The bullet struck Mazza between his eyes, instantly killing him.

## Victims

**Killed**

* Joseph Edwards, 40
* Louis Kikakos

**Injured**

* Van Reeves, 36
* Willie Miller, 39

## References

1. "MADMAN RUNS AMUCK; STATION CROWD IN PANIC." August 27, 1926. *Chicago Tribune*. Page 1.
2. "FORMER SOLDIER KEEPS MAN FROM SLAYING OTHERS." August 27, 1926. *The Associated Press* via *The Dispatch*. Page 1.
3. "CRAZED MAN RUNS AMUCK IN CHICAGO." August 27, 1926. *The Associated Press* via *The Pantagraph*. Page 1.
4. "SECOND VICTIM OF MADMAN SUCCUMBS." August 28, 1926. *The Associated Press* via *The Pantagraph*. Page 1.