A busy Long Island Stop & Shop erupted Tuesday as blood was shed when a gunman shot dead three people, including one, inside the executives’ office, before jumping on a bus to flee.
The killer, identified by police as Gabriel deWitt Wilson, a current 31-year-old worker or former West Hempstead grocery store worker, used a gun for his butcher shop and is still free, police said.
Police urged residents to stay inside while the manhunt for Wilson continued, last seen in a black baseball cap and black sweatshirt.
“The #NassauCountyPD is exploring the area and nearby schools have been notified to close and secure their buildings,” the Nassau County Police Department said he said in a tweet shortly after noon.
“The issue has not yet been captured and we ask that residents in the area stay inside.”
The crime unfolded with about 100 people in the store, causing screams and panic, authorities said.
The dead victim was a 49-year-old store employee, police said. The two injured people were conscious and alert, authorities said.
The alleged shooter was last seen running towards Hempstead Turnpike and is believed to have boarded a bus to flee, a local NBC-TV outlet reported.