WEST HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (NewsNation Now) — A gunman shot three workers inside a manager’s office at a Long Island grocery store Tuesday, killing one of them, police said.
The suspected gunman was identified by police as 30-year-old Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, allegedly shot the three victims in an upstairs office at the Stop & Shop in West Hempstead before fleeing the scene.
Nassau County Police announced he had been apprehended and taken into custody around 3:20 p.m. ET Tuesday after a manhunt.
There were about a “couple hundred” shoppers inside the store around 11 a.m. when the shooting took place, although the office is away from the shopping floor, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
Ryder said Wilson was wearing all black and carrying a small handgun as he fled. Police said Ryder had previously worked at the supermarket as a cart collector. It was unclear whether he was still employed by the store, the commissioner said.
The name of the victims have not been made public. The man who was killed was a 49-year-old store manager, according to Ryder. The two wounded were hospitalized and were conscious and alert.
“Within a matter of minutes, it was over,” Ryder said during a press briefing after Wilson’s arrest.
Video of the aftermath of the shooting showed police cars and ambulances parked in front of the store, officers carrying long guns and yellow crime scene tape draped across the entrance.
Curran said nearby schools have been told not to admit visitors and residents were asked to remain indoors.
Wilson was arraigned Wednesday morning and charged with one count of murder in the second degree and four counts of attempted murder, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said at a press conference.
In a statement, Stop & Shop said they are cooperating with law enforcement and the store will remain closed until further notice.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he was praying for the victims.
“We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation in West Hempstead, where multiple people have been shot, and at least one person has been killed, at a grocery store. The New York State Police has been directed to assist local authorities in their search for the perpetrator, and my team and I are in constant contact with first responders on the ground. I’m praying for the victims, and my heart breaks for their families and loved ones.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
West Hempstead is about 30 miles east of New York City.
The Associated Press and WPIX contributed to this report.