Solved case
101 California Street shooting
On July 1, 1993, a gunman opened fire inside a San Francisco office tower at 101 California Street, killing eight people and injuring six others before killing himself as police closed in.
On the afternoon of July 1, 1993, at approximately 2:57 p.m., a 55-year-old man named Gian Luigi Ferri entered the office building at 101 California Street in San Francisco and went to the offices of the law firm Pettit & Martin, which occupied several upper floors of the building. Ferri had a past, limited connection to the firm: in 1981 Pettit & Martin had referred him to other legal counsel regarding real estate matters in the Midwest and had no further contact with him in the twelve years that followed. Ferri had reportedly expressed hostility toward lawyers in general weeks before the attack.
After exiting an elevator on the 34th floor — a stop caused incidentally by another employee's call button — Ferri put on ear protection and began shooting with two TEC-9 pistols fitted with Hell-Fire trigger systems and a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun, using a mix of Black Talon hollow-point and standard ammunition. He moved through the 34th floor, then descended an internal staircase to continue shooting on lower floors. As San Francisco police closed in, Ferri died by suicide. In total, eight people were killed and six others were injured.
Those killed included Shirley Mooser and Donald "Mike" Merrill, both employees of the Trust Company of the West; Allen J. Berk and John Scully, attorneys at Pettit & Martin (Scully was reported to have shielded his wife, Michelle Scully, who was injured in the attack); Deborah Fogel, a legal secretary with Davis Wright Tremaine; David Sutcliffe, a law student interning at Pettit & Martin; and attorney Jack Berman and his client Jody Jones Sposato, who were together for a deposition at the time of the shooting. Those injured included Victoria Smith, Sharon Jones O'Roke (the first person shot), Michelle Scully, Brian F. Berger (who died in 1995, with his death later attributed to wounds from the shooting), court reporter Deanna Eaves, and Charles Ross.
A four-page typed letter left by Ferri contained numerous grammatical errors and complaints, including claims that he had been poisoned by MSG and "raped" by Pettit & Martin and other firms, along with a list of more than 30 people described as "criminals, rapists, racketeeres [sic], lobbyists" — none of whom were among the victims. Investigators and reporters were unable to determine a clear, coherent motive from the letter.
The shootings prompted calls for stricter gun control and contributed to subsequent legislative efforts, including provisions that preceded the federal Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. California adopted additional firearms regulations in the aftermath, and organizations such as Legal Community Against Violence and the Jack Berman Advocacy Center were founded in response to the attack. Pettit & Martin, already experiencing financial difficulties before the shooting, dissolved in 1995 following partner departures.
Key facts
- Victims
- Michelle Scully, John Scully, Victoria Smith, Sharon Jones O'Roke, David Sutcliffe, Allen J. Berk, Shirley Mooser, Brian F. Berger, Deborah Fogel, Jack Berman, Donald Merrill, Deanna Eaves, Jody Jones Sposato, Charles Ross
- Date
- 1993
- Location
- 101 California Street, San Francisco, California, United States
- Case status
- solved
Case timeline
1937-12-29
Gian Luigi Ferri (born Gianluigi Ettore Ferri), the perpetrator, is born.
1981
Pettit & Martin refers Ferri to alternative legal counsel regarding Midwest real estate matters; the firm has no further contact with him afterward.
1993-07-01
Ferri enters 101 California Street in San Francisco and opens fire on multiple floors occupied by the law firm Pettit & Martin and other tenants, killing eight and injuring six before dying by suicide as police close in.
1993-07-03
The New York Times publishes reporting on the shooter's background and possible motive.
1993-07-04
The New York Times publishes further reporting examining the shooter's writings and possible motive.
1993-07-07
The New York Times publishes a profile of victims of the attack.
1995
Injured victim Brian F. Berger dies at his home at age 41; the law firm Pettit & Martin dissolves following partner departures.
1995-04-12
The New York Times reports a lawsuit is allowed to proceed against the manufacturer of guns used in the 1993 shootings.
1997
It is publicly confirmed that Brian F. Berger's 1995 death resulted from wounds sustained in the 1993 shooting.
1994
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, influenced in part by legislative responses to the shooting, takes effect.
Best coverage
No coverage has been attached to this file yet.
People
Michelle Scully
VICTIMInjured; wife of victim John Scully.
John Scully
VICTIMKilled; attorney with Pettit & Martin, reported to have shielded his wife during the attack.
Victoria Smith
VICTIMInjured in the shooting.
Sharon Jones O'Roke
VICTIMInjured; first person shot during the attack, in-house counsel taking a deposition.
David Sutcliffe
VICTIMKilled; law student interning at Pettit & Martin.
Allen J. Berk
VICTIMKilled; partner at the law firm Pettit & Martin.
Shirley Mooser
VICTIMKilled; secretary at the Trust Company of the West.
Brian F. Berger
VICTIMInjured in the 1993 shooting; died in 1995, later confirmed to be from those wounds.
Deborah Fogel
VICTIMKilled; legal secretary for Davis Wright Tremaine.
Jack Berman
VICTIMKilled; attorney with Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, present for a client deposition.
Donald Merrill
VICTIMKilled; employee of the Trust Company of the West.
Deanna Eaves
VICTIMInjured; court reporter recording a deposition at the time of the attack.
Gian Luigi Ferri
CHARGEDIdentified as the perpetrator of the shooting; died by suicide at the scene and was never prosecuted.
Jody Jones Sposato
VICTIMKilled; plaintiff in a lawsuit, present for deposition at Pettit & Martin.
Charles Ross
VICTIMInjured in the shooting.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
archival location
101 California Street office tower, San Francisco — the shooting site
Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Places
Common questions
- What happened to the victim?
- On July 1, 1993, a gunman opened fire inside a San Francisco office tower at 101 California Street, killing eight people and injuring six others before killing himself as police closed in.
- Where did the shooting happen?
- 101 California Street, San Francisco, California, United States.
- What is the current status of the case?
- Status: solved.
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Sources
- ENCYCLOPEDIC101 California Street shootingWikipedia · 2026-07-07
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The New York TimesThe New York Times · 2026-07-07
- PRESSContemporaneous coverage — SFGateSFGate · 2026-07-07
Record history
- First published
- JUL 07, 2026
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