Body-cam video, 911 calls released in brutal attack inside Chandler’s Intel facility

CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - 911 calls and police body camera video provide new insight into the brutal attack inside Intel’s Chandler facility. Derrick Simmons is charged with beating two of his coworkers, one of them to death. It happened back in February.

Chandler Police said Simmons and the man killed had previous arguments and that they worked in separate areas as a result. Police note in their 183-page report that Simmons was having financial troubles and that he was paranoid.

“Some sort of attack happened, the guy is killing another person. I have no idea what’s going on exactly,” a 911 caller said. “He was hit in the back of the head with the ax or hammer,” another caller told the dispatcher.

The calls from February 18 give you an idea of the chaos inside. “We had an incident down here, some guy got attacked, he has a knife on him,” a third caller said. “Where is the suspect right now?” the dispatcher asked. “I don’t know. I ran,” yet another caller said. “Hey, don’t go downstairs, don’t go downstairs,” he’s heard telling another coworker.

At least six different employees called the police for help, and said they knew who was responsible. “He’s an employee,” a 911 caller said. “Do you know what his name is by chance?” the dispatcher asked. “Derrick Simmons. Derrick Simmons,” the caller responds.

The body camera video shows the response. Investigators raced in and tried to get to the cafeteria as fast as possible. Once there, they find Dan Foster, 49, dead on the ground.

“All I saw was another guy grab another guy and throw him on the ground and start hitting him with an ax, a metal ax and then he ran back to his … I don’t know if it was bat or not but he grabbed a knife, a big black knife,” a man told an officer.

Police said Jaron Williams, 27, tried to intervene and was hit in the head. “This is the first guy, second guy with the blunt force trauma to the head is actually going to be upstairs,” the officer told another. “I heard a commotion and I saw a guy swinging a bat,” another witness tells an officer.

Video shows that responding officers found Simmons outside. “Are you the one we’re looking for? Sit down. Sit on the ground right where you are,” an officer tells him. He complied. He’s arrested, charged with murder and aggravated assault.

Following the incident, Arizona’s Family spoke with several Intel employees who expressed concerns for their safety. Back in April, Reporter David Caltabiano pressed Intel for answers.

“It’s certainly a challenging environment when you bring a lot of people doing a very dynamic process… In my 21 years at the company I have never seen an incident like what occurred a couple of weeks ago,” Jason Bagley, Intel’s Senior Director of State Government Affairs, said. He never really addressed the question.

As Intel announced plans to expand, they didn’t say they would step up security. As for Simmons, he remains behind bars on a $1 million bond. He’s pleaded not guilty. His trial is set to begin in October.

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