On September 8 and 9, 2001, 20-year-old Joseph Ferguson committed multiple shootings in Sacramento, California, killing five people and injuring two others before shooting and killing himself following a shootout with authorities on September 10.

Joseph Ferguson was born in 1990 and was one of three sons of Susan and Thomas Ferguson. He grew up in south Sacramento. In December 1998, his parents divorced. In 1999, his mother was imprisoned for 14 years after a plea deal of no contest to charges of molesting Ferguson and one of his brothers when they were less than 14 years old.^[1]

Ferguson held a private security guard permit, which was issued in March 1999.^[1]

Ferguson commenced working for Burns International Security in 1999 but was suspended from his job on 7 September 2001 after his ex-girlfriend and fellow security guard, Nina Susu, reported that he had vandalized her car with an ax after she broke up with him earlier in the week.^[2] The company management, and Susu, contacted the FBI to warn of threats Ferguson had also made. Although a report was made and the Sacramento police were also contacted, no further action was taken at that time due to Ferguson's lack of a criminal record.^[2]

Joseph Ferguson was a former security guard for Burns Security in Sacramento, California.^[3] His mother, Susan Ferguson, was serving a 14-year sentence for child molestation against her three children.^[4] Prior to the shootings, Ferguson had broken up with his girlfriend, 20-year-old Nina Susu. After vandalizing Susu's car, Ferguson was suspended from his job.^[5][6] Ferguson pre-recorded a suicide video message, vowing to target former co-workers in "a hell of a show".^[3] In the days leading up to the shooting, Ferguson made various threats, sharing his intention "to outdo Nikolay Soltys".^[7]

Late on September 8, 2001, Ferguson fatally shot two Burns Security guards at the city corporation yard;^[8] his first victim was Susu, his ex-girlfriend.^[3] Later that night, Ferguson shot and killed two more people at the Miller Park marina: a third Burns security guard, and a 19-year-old marina worker. Around midnight, Ferguson handcuffed an additional security guard to a tree and fled the scene. On September 9, Ferguson killed a fifth person at a home in Rancho Cordova's Lincoln Village neighborhood.^[8] One of the victims, 20-year-old Nina Susu, was Ferguson's ex-girlfriend who he had recently broken up with. After vandalizing Susu's car, Ferguson was suspended from his job.^[9][6]

Early on September 10, Ferguson shot and injured an officer after exchanging fire with authorities at Folsom Boulevard and Zinfandel Drive,^[8] using a converted fully-automatic AK-47. During the exchange, a stray bullet struck a 27-year-old bystander in the abdomen, injuring him.^[6] Ferguson, who was unscathed from the exchange,^[10] shot and killed himself shortly after the shootout.^[8]

Ferguson and his shooting received short-lived coverage; the incident was quickly overshadowed by the September 11 attacks on September 11, 2001.^[11]