On September 27, 2012, an ordinary shift at Accent Signage Systems fractured in minutes: a termination meeting, a return to a car, and then a calm, deadly walk through an office where colleagues hid beneath desks and a UPS driver making a routine delivery became one more casualty. This episode reconstructs that afternoon step by step, following the shooter’s movements from the executive suite to the loading dock and into the basement where the killer ended his spree. Through the voices of survivors, the scramble of failed 911 calls, and the quiet bravery of coworkers who tried to help the wounded, we trace how long-standing workplace friction spiraled into violence and how a community coped with shock, grief, and unanswered questions. We focus on the people who were lost—the founder who came out to help, the managers and production staff who never left their posts, and the delivery driver caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Join us for a careful, human-centered retelling that honors the victims, examines the chain of events that allowed the attack to unfold, and asks what can be learned to keep workplaces safer. This is a story about loss, memory, and the small, urgent acts of courage that mattered that day. For all things In Time Crime and all Ear Balls media podcast join us at: Ear Balls Media Music by- Jeremy Blake Sources: MPR News — “Police: Workplace gunman started shooting at dismissal meeting” Used for the firing meeting, Engeldinger’s employment history, the movement through the building, Reuven Rahamim’s actions, and witness accounts. MPR News — “Accent Signage workers’ 911 calls failed to connect” Used for the failed 911 calls, Sheryl McAdams hiding under her desk, the struggle in the termination meeting, employee testimony, the police search, the two workers barricaded in the basement, and details from the police report. Star Tribune — “Police timeline for Accent Signage shootings” One of the most important sources. Used for the minute-by-minute sequence of the shooting, the 9mm Glock, the office struggle, the order in which victims were encountered, the loading dock shootings, Engeldinger going into the basement, and police finding him. Star Tribune — “911 calls reveal fear inside, out during attack at Accent Signage” Used for the approximately 4:34 p.m. emergency call, the woman waiting outside for her husband, the UPS truck arriving, and the later police radio timeline. Star Tribune — “Accent Signage Systems shooting: First victims fought for their lives” Used for additional details about the termination meeting, the struggle over the gun, and evidence suggesting Engeldinger went to his vehicle before returning armed. CBS News — “Sixth victim of Minneapolis workplace shooting died in hospital, family says” Used for Eric Rivers, his injuries, hospitalization, and eventual death. CBS Minnesota — “6th Accent Signage Shooting Victim Dies” Used to confirm that Eric Rivers died on October 10, 2012, making him the sixth person killed. CBS Minnesota — “After Workplace Shooting, Mpls. Changes 911 Procedures” Used for the problems employees experienced trying to reach 911, the number of failed emergency calls, and the changes Minneapolis made afterward.
