Man arrested, accused of shooting at Tolleson Gatorade factory: PD
TOLLESON, Ariz. - Officials with Tolleson Police say they have arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with a shooting incident that happened just outside the campus of a Gatorade factory in the West Valley city.
Per a statement released on June 26, the incident happened on the afternoon of June 25. Tolleson Police were called to the area of Van Buren Street and 107th Avenue at around 4:25 p.m., just outside the fenced property, for reports of shots fired.
"Scattered on the ground at this gated entrance were numerous shotgun casings, small caliber handgun casings and several live rounds of small caliber handgun. Also located in an exterior employee break area was a broken glass container later identified as an improvised incendiary device," investigators wrote.
The suspect, who police have identified as Antwaine Lamar Woods, reportedly fled the scene before officers arrived.
"Responding officers spoke with witnesses that identified Mr. Woods as a disgruntled ex-employee of Gatorade. It was learned Mr. Woods told the witnesses he was going to ‘shoot up the place!’ just before discharging an estimated 30 rounds of shotgun and handgun rounds at the west wall of the Gatorade building and infrastructure," a portion of the statement reads.
While no one was hurt by the rounds or the incendiary device, police did say cooling towers and building walls were damaged as a result of the shooting. The suspect was eventually tracked to Pioneer Park in Glendale.
"Undercover officers from the US Marshals Task Force observed Mr. Woods fishing at the lake area, and was quickly taken into custody without incident," investigators wrote. "A search of Mr. Wood’s vehicle revealed four additional incendiary devices and the weapons believed to be used in the shooting. The Glendale PD EOD Unit responded to the scene and checked the vehicle and the incendiary devices to ensure they were safe to be moved."
Antwaine Lamar Woods
Woods, per the statement, was later interviewed by detectives, during which he claimed he was wrongfully fired from the company in January 2024, and had issues with the way he was being treated by the company.
"Mr. Woods admitted to firing multiple rounds at the water filtration tanks outside of the Gatorade manufacturing and distribution center, as well as throwing a Molotov Cocktail towards the building. The incendiary device was not able to ignite due to the weather conditions," detectives wrote. "Mr. Woods said he did not intend to cause anyone harm, he only wanted to impede production of the plant to have a financial impact on Gatorade. The defendant cited religious beliefs and Native American laws as the reason for his actions."
Woods, detectives say, has been booked into the Maricopa County Jail. He is accused of committing multiple criminal offenses, including discharging a firearm at a nonresidential structure, unlawful discharge of a firearm within city limits, misconduct involving simulated explosive devices, endangerment, and disorderly conduct.