Suspect Arrested in Supermarket Shooting

Police say a suspect identified as Gabriel DeWitt Wilson has been apprehended

By Liz MacGahan, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 20, 2021 2:51 PM CDT

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1 Dead in Long Island Grocery Store Shooting — This aerial photo provided by WABC shows police responding to the scene of a shooting at a Stop & Shop supermarket in West Hempstead, N.Y., on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. (WABC via AP)

Police say the suspect in a shooting that killed one and injured two at a Long Island grocery store Tuesday morning had ties to the store. They say it’s unclear whether Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, 30, is a current or former employee, CNN reports. More than a hundred people were at the Stop & Shop in West Hempstead at the time, but the shooting took place in an upper-level office. A 49-year-old man died and two other victims were taken to a hospital. Nassau County police said a man wearing all black walked into the Stop & Shop office, shot three people, and escaped, possibly on a bus, NBC New York reports. The department tweeted that the suspect was apprehended roughly 4 hours later.

Local schools went on lockdown, and local police were encouraging residents to stay indoors. The store released a statement saying it was "shocked and heartbroken." The president of a local labor union representing many of the store’s employees said union reps will be available to support essential workers who are already surviving a pandemic. "These workers have been through a tremendous amount and should never have to fear for their safety. We as a society must recognize that gun violence is a workplace safety issue," John Durso said.

(More shooting stories.)

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