Triple shooting over masks at grocery store leaves cashier dead, deputy and man injured

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A triple shooting at a DeKalb County grocery store left a cashier dead and a deputy and the gunman injured.

The shooting happened Monday afternoon at the Big Bear grocery store along Candler Road, across the street from South DeKalb Mall.

Authorities told Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes that the incident started when a man walked into the store and refused to put on a mask.

“I have a friend who works in this store and I think it was her who got shot and it’s just really sad,” witness Marquisha White said. “I don’t know what the world is coming to -- period.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the cashier told Victor Lee Tucker, Jr., 30, of Palmetto, to put on a mask and that’s when the chaos unfolded.

“Tucker left the store without making his purchase, but immediately returned inside. Tucker walked directly back to the cashier, pulled out a handgun and shot her,” the GBI said in a news release.

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“The deputy returned fire, shooting the suspect who has also been transported to a local hospital,” said DeKalb County Sherriff Melody Maddox.

The GBI said two DeKalb County police officers arrested Tucker as he was attempting to crawl out the front door of the store.

Fernandes spoke with owner of Big Bear, who did not give his name. He said he hired an off-duty deputy to help enforce the mask policy at the store.

After Monday’s triple shooting, he said he may not allow customers to carry any guns inside the store anymore.

“How come they carry all the guns in a public place like that?” he asked, calling the practice “bad.”

People who frequent the store say the gunman is well known at Big Bear and they believe he may have some mental health issues.

Tucker was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was last listed as being in stable condition. Another cashier was also grazed by a bullet. She was treated at the scene.

The deputy was taken to Atlanta Medical Center where he was last listed as being in stable condition.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne contributed to this article.

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