Jerome Votaw
Robert Gully
SACRAMENTO, CA - Two men are dead after a murder-suicide shooting in a parking lot outside a SMUD building Tuesday night.
Jerome Votaw 62, of Sacramento and Robert Gully, 73, of West Sacramento got into a verbal argument in the parking of the SMUD building on the 6200 block of S Street around 7:20 p.m. when Gully shot and killed Votaw, Sacramento Police Sgt. Andrew Pettit said.
A woman who was standing near the two men was then chased by Gully, according to Pettit.
"The suspect shot the male victim and he was pronounced deceased. After he shot that victim he chased the female toward the lobby area firing multiple shots at her. The female was able to get inside the lobby area where he continued to shoot rounds, breaking the glass windows and also shooting into the lobby," Pettit said.
A friend of Gully tried to calm him down, but moments later he went back into the parking lot and shot himself in the upper torso, at least once, and killed himself," Pettit said.
According to a witness, the two men had a history of conflict, and at least one of them was a part of a group of model plane enthusiasts that regularly meets at the building.
Homicide detectives are trying to find out what led up the shooting, Pettit said.
No one else was injured in the shooting.
Neither Gully or Votaw were connected in any way to the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, police said.
News10/KXTV