MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Police are investigating after an employee was killed in a shooting at a gas station in Montgomery County Thursday afternoon.
According to a tweet from the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), the shooting happened just after 3 p.m. in the 11100 block of New Hampshire Avenue. Officers believe someone got into a fight with the clerk working the register, and shot him in the chest inside the gas station. While first responders attempted to save the gas station employee, he died from his injuries.
The man killed has not yet been identified, but community members WUSA9 spoke with said he was a young man who was part of a tight-knit community that now grieves his loss.
"The person who passed away, it sounds like, was a beloved member of the community," newly elected Montgomery County Council member Kristin Mink said. "I live right around here, my parents live right around here. I've always felt safe moving around here, but clearly we need to do more, and we will."
Fred Sulz, who runs a nearby business, said he knows many of the employees at this gas station.
"They're young kids," Sulz said. "They work hard. They came here to do a living. And this suddenly happening is very sad, shocking."
Police are still working to learn who fired the gun, what started the fight, or how the shooter got away. But investigators believe this to be an isolated incident. No suspect description has been released. Neighbors told WUSA9 they could see police searching the surrounding neighborhood.
Police are still investigating what led up to the fight. Click here to watch and subscribe to the WUSA9 YouTube channel.