AutoZone worker shot during armed robbery in Worcester
WORCESTER - An auto store employee was shot in broad daylight in a Worcester parking lot. The gunfire rang out just before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, immediately catching the attention of Nick Paleologos who works nearby.
"We did hear some noise, we thought maybe it was a car backfiring," Paleologos said. "Then there was a second set of very consistent shots."
Worcester Police swarmed the area on Park Avenue, saying it was an armed robbery. According to witnesses an AutoZone employee was the victim, a 41-year-old man who was just walking out of the store and was attacked in the parking lot. A gunshot hit him the leg.
It sent employees scrambling at a bakery next door. "I hear the gunshot and then I shut the door and went back," said Julio Abreu. "I see people running I didn't see well but l stay here and tell all the employees to stay in the back."
Bullets hit and shattered the rear window of a car parked near the scene. Police, who spent hours gathering evidence, say the gunman quickly fled the area even as witnesses say at least one person tried to subdue the man before he took off.
"Very concerning, very odd behavior for the area, AutoZone, can't think of a reason why that event would take place there," Paleologos said.
It's a high traffic area especially at that hour of the day and fortunately no one else was hurt.
"It was scary, in the middle of the day, it was hard," said Abreu.
Police will only say the gunman was able to get away with something from the victim who was treated on scene and transported to the hospital. So far, no arrests have been made.