Disgruntled State Employee Kills Boss, Self

A disgruntled employee in the state Employment Development Department office in Garden Grove shot and killed his supervisor Monday in front of a dozen stunned witnesses and then committed suicide by turning the gun on himself.

Louis H. Zuniga, 50, a former La Habra city councilman who had been manager at the Garden Grove office for three years, was shot in the upper chest by Fidel Gonzalez Jr., 53, of Westminster. Without hesitation, witnesses said, Gonzalez then killed himself.

Gonzalez, whose job was to help the unemployed find work, reportedly was upset with Zuniga and wanted a transfer.

California State Police spokeswoman Anne Garbeff said that there was an exchange of words between the two just before the shooting. State Police investigators took over the case because the shooting was at a state office.

‘We Were All in Shock’

The shooting occurred about 7:10 a.m., shortly after the office opened for business. The office distributes unemployment checks and serves as a job bank for the unemployed.

Mark Parris, 35, of Garden Grove, said he had brought a friend to the office when he heard a shot. “I looked up and I saw this man (Gonzalez) fire two more shots at the manager. Then he immediately just put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger,” Parris said. “At first we just stood there in silence; we were all in shock.”

Several employees said there had been “dissension” in the office in recent weeks between Zuniga and numerous staff members, including Gonzalez.

“I knew he was upset; but I never dreamed it would come to this,” said one employee who asked not to be identified. “Fidel was so kind and gentle. He must have been more troubled than any of us knew.”