http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/7694832/
Quote:
APEX, N.C. — More than 150 people fled the Super Target in Beaver Creek Commons in Apex after shots rang out Sunday morning.
At around 11:35 a.m., police responded to reports of an active shooter in Target, at 1201 Beaver Creek Commons Drive, Apex Police Capt. Ann Stephens said.
They found Target cashier Guadalupe F. Rosas, 59, of 1007 Celandine Drive in Apex, shot to death in the front of the store.
Witness Justin Ley said he was in the checkout line at the Target when he heard a gunshot. He said Rosas fell beside him and he locked eyes with her gunman.
“I said, 'calm down, calm down.' I must have said it 15 times. I just didn’t want him (shooter) to maybe come after me as well," Ley said. “It just didn’t seem like a situation that anybody would be effective at trying to intervene with.â€
Ley said the shooter pointed a handgun at him and ordered everyone to get out of the store.
“It was such a pandemonium at the door that we were all getting shoved into the plate-glass windows," Ley said.
Stephens said the shooter was confronted by officers inside the store.
"Our officers challenged the suspect to put down the handgun. At the time, he turned the weapon on himself and shot and killed himself," Stephens said.
Stephens said Rosas and the shooter had been a relationship that ended in 2005. The two had stayed in contact since then.
Rosas had been working at Target for about two years and is survived by a daughter and two grandchildren.
The shooter has been identified, but authorities are not releasing his name pending notification of next of kin.
The store was evacuated and nearby businesses were put on lock-down following the shooting.
Four people suffered minor injuries while trying to leave the scene, Stephens said.
Police were interviewing about 40 witnesses in a nearby Lowes store Sunday afternoon. Authorities were not allowing any vehicles to be released from the parking lot until the suspect's and victim's vehicles were identified.
Anyone who saw anything but left Target prior to police's arrival should contact Apex police at 919-362-8661.
Target will be closed for the rest of the day, Stephens said. Lowes reopened around 5 p.m.
At around 11:35 a.m., police responded to reports of an active shooter in Target, at 1201 Beaver Creek Commons Drive, Apex Police Capt. Ann Stephens said.
They found Target cashier Guadalupe F. Rosas, 59, of 1007 Celandine Drive in Apex, shot to death in the front of the store.
Witness Justin Ley said he was in the checkout line at the Target when he heard a gunshot. He said Rosas fell beside him and he locked eyes with her gunman.
“I said, 'calm down, calm down.' I must have said it 15 times. I just didn’t want him (shooter) to maybe come after me as well," Ley said. “It just didn’t seem like a situation that anybody would be effective at trying to intervene with.â€
Ley said the shooter pointed a handgun at him and ordered everyone to get out of the store.
“It was such a pandemonium at the door that we were all getting shoved into the plate-glass windows," Ley said.
Stephens said the shooter was confronted by officers inside the store.
"Our officers challenged the suspect to put down the handgun. At the time, he turned the weapon on himself and shot and killed himself," Stephens said.
Stephens said Rosas and the shooter had been a relationship that ended in 2005. The two had stayed in contact since then.
Rosas had been working at Target for about two years and is survived by a daughter and two grandchildren.
The shooter has been identified, but authorities are not releasing his name pending notification of next of kin.
The store was evacuated and nearby businesses were put on lock-down following the shooting.
Four people suffered minor injuries while trying to leave the scene, Stephens said.
Police were interviewing about 40 witnesses in a nearby Lowes store Sunday afternoon. Authorities were not allowing any vehicles to be released from the parking lot until the suspect's and victim's vehicles were identified.
Anyone who saw anything but left Target prior to police's arrival should contact Apex police at 919-362-8661.
Target will be closed for the rest of the day, Stephens said. Lowes reopened around 5 p.m.
This is across the street from where I lived until 6 weeks ago, and this Target is the one I got to all the time, as do many friends. And while I know there's not such thing as a "safe" town, this really is as safe as you could hope for. A few friends of mine knew the woman who died. Another friends husband and kids were in lockdown at the Lowes nearby while this was going on. We heard the swat team helicopter fly past but had no idea what was going on. And we were just there in that plaza yesterday.
It's one of those things where some area you are very familiar with and go to often becomes shattered and different, and you find yourself wondering what would you do if you were there? If you had your kids with you? If it wasnt just some random guy who was heart broken 5 years ago but some psychotic stranger who had no specific agenda except to destroy?
I know in time this stuff does away and we'll all go back to Target soon like mindless sheep to grab our laundry detergent or kids school supplies. But it's going to feel strange to know that 2 people died violently there. And if it can happen there, it's a lesson to remember that it can happen anywhere.
