Osage County youth killed in shootings
WICHITA (AP) - A Wichita man was charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder Friday in the shooting death of one man and the wounding of three others at an exercise center.
Gary Cox, 26, was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 bail and a public defender was appointed to represent him. His next court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday in Sedgwick County District Court.
Cox was arrested without incident early Friday at a south Wichita motel about six hours after the shootings at the Universal Nautilus fitness center. Police said they found him with the help of informants and because he used his real name when he signed in at the exercise center.
Authorities said a gunman walked calmly into the health club in southeast Wichita at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, displayed a membership card and signed the club register.
Investigators said the man pulled a large-caliber handgun from a duffel bag, knelt and held the gun with both hands as he fired four or five shots toward a group of men lifting weights. No motive for the shooting has been determined.
"Everybody dropped to the floor at once. It was like somebody just took a hatchet and cut down a bunch Of flowers," said Tim Freed, 20, an Oaklawn man who was one of about 20 members in the club Thursday night.
Witnesses told police the gunman tried unsuccessfully to reload his weapon, then yelled: "Now I'm going to get my automatic." He ran out the back door but didn't return.
The dead man was identified as Michael R. Turnbull, 18, of Carbondale, who had won a membership at the health club a few months earlier in a radio station contest. Turnbull was graduated from high school in 1986 and had been attending the Wichita Automotive and Electronics Institute.
The three injured in the shooting were Lynn Nicholson, 35, who was in fair condition at St. Joseph Medical Center with a stomach wound; William R Neal, 26, who suffered a superficial thigh wound and was released after treatment at a hospital, and Jerrod B, Kackley, 13, who suffered a superficial hand wound and was treated at the scene.
Police said they were called to investigate an incident that allegedly involved Cox nearly 12 hours before the shootings. A neighbor reported Cox had grabbed her around the neck and held a gun to her head, police said.
"He said: 'Freeze. I'm going to shoot you' " Patricia Bauer said during an interview Friday.
A police spokesman said he didn't know why Cox wasn't arrested following the incident with Bauer at his apartment building.
Assistant District Attorney Greg Waller said he hasn't received any evidence concerning the alleged attack on Bauer.
The Topeka Capital-Journal
Saturday, February 28, 1987, p. 11
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