Photo: Richland Police Department
One person was killed, and another was injured in a shooting at a Fred Meyer grocery store in Richland, Washington, on Monday (February 7) morning. The injured victim worked at the store and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Authorities said that the suspect fled the scene and should be considered armed and dangerous. They released images taken from surveillance cameras showing a white man wearing a plaid long-sleeve shirt, a dark-colored vest, and jeans. In one of the photos, he wore a dark-colored gaiter or scarf over his face. Richland Police Commander Chris Lee did not identify the suspect but said he had previous contact with law enforcement.
Richland’s Interim Police Chief Brigit Clary said he's confident that officers will be able to track down the suspect.
“We want to assure our community that we are taking every measure to locate the suspect,” Clary said during a press briefing. “We will not rest until he is in custody.”
Officials said that the suspect and the deceased individual had "some sort of interaction," before shots rang out, but did not provide any details about what may have sparked the shooting.
A witness told the Tri-City Herald that they heard at least ten shots inside the store. Customers and employees rushed to find cover, sheltering in stock rooms, bathrooms, and the pharmacy. Officers were combing the store aisle-by-aisle looking for evidence and anybody else who was still hiding in the store.
"We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at our Fred Meyer store located on 101 Wellsian Way in Richland, WA," a Fred Meyer spokesperson said in a statement to CNN.
"The entire Fred Meyer family offers our thoughts, prayers, and support to all affected individuals and families during this difficult time," the statement continued.