Atlanta Man Fatally Shoots Supermarket Cashier, Wounds 2 Others Over Face Mask Row

A man fatally shot a cashier and wounded two others following an argument over face masks in an Atlanta supermarket Monday.

The suspected shooter, identified as 30-year-old Victor Lee Tucker, Jr., went inside the Big Bear Supermarket located near the South DeKalb Mall in Decatur around 1:10 p.m. and got into an argument with a female cashier over mask-wearing requirements.

Tucker reportedly left the store without completing his purchase. The encounter didn't end there, however.

"Tucker walked directly back to the cashier, pulled out a handgun and shot her," The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a statement. "Tucker then began shooting at a DKSO deputy who was attempting to intervene while working off-duty at the supermarket."

The reserve deputy, who was employed at the store part-time for security, returned fire and shot the suspect. Both the deputy and the suspected shooter were injured during the confrontation, DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox told AP News.

"Two responding DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) officers arrested Tucker as he was attempting to crawl out the front door of the supermarket," the GBI added.

The GBI is independently investigating the incident. "The GBI continues an investigation into an officer involved shooting incident [sic] in DeKalb County," it said in a tweet.

The reserve deputy was struck twice by gunfire but was wearing a bulletproof vest, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was brought to Atlanta Medical Center and was reported to be in stable condition.

Unfortunately, the cashier succumbed to her injuries.

"The cashier was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead," the GBI stated.

The deputy and the cashier were not immediately identified.

A second grocery cashier was injured after a bullet grazed her. She received medical attention for her wound.

Tucker was also struck a couple of times and was taken to Grady. No information was given about his condition.

Last week, a man fatally shot a 2 -year-old child and his grandmother before turning the gun on himself at a Publix supermarket in Florida. Police have not determined a motive behind the shooting and there is no known relation between the suspect and the victims.