Carl Robert Brown was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1930. He served in the U.S. Navy, receiving an honorable discharge in 1954. Brown moved to Florida a year later, completing his education with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 1957 and a master’s degree in education from East Carolina College in 1964. He worked as a history teacher at Hialeah Junior High School from 1962 and also taught accounting part-time.

Despite a seemingly stable career, Brown’s personal life was troubled. Twice married, with three children, his mental health deteriorated following the death of his first wife and the breakdown of his second marriage. His behavior became increasingly erratic, neighbors reported odd incidents such as early morning shouting, random shooting of pellet guns, and bizarre acts like picking fruit in his underwear.

By the early 1980s, his teaching suffered significantly. Students complained of incoherent lectures, paranoia, and verbal aggression. Transferred to Drew Middle School in 1981, Brown’s behavior worsened. After a December 1981 incident where he threatened students with a stapler, he was placed on medical leave in March 1982 for psychiatric treatment. Psychiatrist Dr. Robert Wainger noted paranoia and disorganized thinking but concluded Brown posed no danger to others. Brown, however, rejected therapy and medication, believing he could cure others instead.

On August 19, 1982, Brown argued with staff at Bob Moore’s Welding & Machine Service over a $20 repair bill, threatening to kill everyone in the shop. The next morning, he bought two shotguns, a semi-automatic rifle, and ammunition. Shockingly, he invited his 10-year-old son to join him in “killing a lot of people,” saying their final stop would be Hialeah Junior High School.

Just before 11 a.m., Brown arrived at the welding shop on his bicycle armed with a pistol-grip Ithaca 37 shotgun. Entering through a side door, he opened fire while yelling he would “send everybody to Germany.” Moving methodically through the building, he shot employees at close range, killing eight people and wounding three others. Victims included machinists, secretaries, and relatives of the shop owner.

After exhausting his ammunition, Brown calmly left on his bicycle, heading toward Hialeah Junior High. Witnesses described his demeanor as “passive and nonchalant.” Two civilians, Mark Kram and Ernest Hammett, pursued him by car. When Brown aimed his shotgun at them, Kram fired his revolver, striking Brown in the back. They then ran him over, slamming him into a light pole. Brown, carrying 20 additional shells, died shortly after.

Police searching Brown’s home found a tape recording where he referred to himself as “Logos,” claiming to be a divine spark controlling both good and bad thoughts. Despite being under psychiatric observation, he had been able to legally purchase firearms just hours before the massacre.

The Miami welding shop shooting remains one of Florida’s deadliest workplace mass shootings. Brown’s intended plan to continue his rampage at a school was prevented only by the actions of armed witnesses who stopped him during his escape.