June 15 (UPI) — A cashier was killed in a shooting at an Atlanta grocery store on Monday, while the suspect and a sheriff’s deputy were injured after exchanging fire.
Dekalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox said a man shot at the female cashier after the two got into an argument about wearing a mask. A sheriff’s deputy, who was employed as part-time security for the store, intervened and returned fire.
He was hit twice by gunfire but was wearing a bulletproof vest.
“That is what he’s trained to do, that’s part of his 30-year career in law enforcement,” Maddox said of the deputy’s actions. “All of us here are trained to intervene and to respond.”
All three people were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where the cashier died and the suspect and deputy were still being treated on Monday afternoon.
Maddox said the deputy had worked for the DeKalb police department for 30 years and was part of the sheriff’s office reserve unit, which is made up of retired deputies, police officers and citizens who volunteer at various locations.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tweeted that agents were sent to the scene of the shooting to gather information.
The incident was the 41st shooting involving a law enforcement officer the agency has investigated this year.
