PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Police are investigating after two people were shot and killed at a grocery store near the Eastover Shopping Center in Oxon Hill Friday morning.
Prince George's County Police Department officers responded to the 20 block of Audrey Lane at 11 a.m. When police arrived they found that the grocery store's security guard, 43-year-old Willie Tate from Fredericksburg, VA, and the 20-year-old suspect, Zaila Akida were suffering from gunshot wounds.
Tate was pronounced dead at the scene and Akida was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead later, according to officials. Police described the shooting as an isolated incident and said there is no danger to the community.
"The adult female removed a handgun from her backpack and began firing rounds at the security guard, causing the security guard to return fire," Maj. Zachary O'Tare told reporters.
WUSA9's Bruce Leshan talked to Daniel Crook, a dairy stocker at the Giant grocery store where the incident happened. Cook recalls hearing as many as six gunshots. During the incident, he ran and hid in a freezer.
"It seems crazy someone brought a gun in here," to shoplift, Crook said.
"Tate was a great guy. Tate was a loveable guy. He's a married man. So it's a great loss to Giant because we're family here," said Steven Manning, a co-worker who raced to the scene after learning his friend, the security guard, had been killed.
Several Giant workers wiped away tears as they waited in the parking lot to try and figure out what they were supposed to do.
Witnesses at the scene say a security guard confronted a shoplifter, an unidentified woman with a gun, and that is how the incident sparked.
The fatal shooting is still under investigation by the police department.
Anyone who may have additional information, in this case, is asked to call Prince George's County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
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