CHANDLER, Ariz. – A man in Arizona has been taken into custody after a victim was beaten to death with a baseball bat and a second person was injured Saturday morning trying to stop the deadly attack at the Intel Ocotillo campus in Chandler.
The suspect was identified as 50-year-old Derrick Lemond Simmons. Officers arrived about 6:15 a.m. and found Simmons in front of the building carrying two duffle bags. Police said Simmons told the officers that they were looking for him, Arizona’s Family reported.
When police entered the building, they found a man in the cafeteria who was dead from blunt-force trauma injuries. Another victim had non-life-threatening injuries after confronting Simmons. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
“We do know that they were both employees here, and they were co-workers,” said Sgt. Emma Huenneke, the Chandler Police Department Public Information Officer.
Simmons was arrested by police at the scene and booked at the Maricopa County Jail on the charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault, FOX10 Phoenix reported.
The unnamed murder victim was reportedly attacked with a bat, knife and hatchet at the semiconductor manufacturer’s facility, according to court documents obtained by Arizona’s Family.
Chandler Police arrest suspect in violent homicide this morning near Dobson Rd. and Ocotillo Rd.#ChandlerPolice #ChandlerPD #ChandlerAZ pic.twitter.com/nipd2vYjUv
— Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) February 18, 2023
Witnesses told responding officers that Simmons approached a man at a table in the cafeteria and hit him multiple times on the head with a baseball bat. The second victim was sitting with the first victim and stood up to confront Simmons when he attacked that person, too, according to court documents cited by Arizona’s Family.
“Regarding the weapons that were used, we’re not going to disclose that at this time,” said Sgt. Huenneke when asked by the news outlet.
Linda Qian, Communications and Media Relations Director for Intel Arizona released a brief statement.
“After a tragic incident at the Ocotillo campus this morning, Chandler Police are on-site and working closely with Intel Security as they conduct their investigation.”
Simmons is being held on a $1 million cash bond. He has a previous felony conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to FOX10 Phoenix.
The victim’s name was being withheld as family notifications were being made.
