1 killed, 12 injured in shooting at Kroger in Collierville, Tennessee
A gunman opened fire inside a Tennessee grocery store on Thursday, killing one and injuring 12 others, authorities said. The gunman was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, they said.
Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane confirmed Thursday evening that one victim is in the intensive care unit and another is in surgery. The extent of the others' injuries is not clear.
Police responded to reports of an active shooter around 1:30 p.m. local time at the Kroger in Collierville, a suburb located about 30 miles east of Memphis. Lane said officers searched every aisle and room inside the supermarket, helping the injured and bringing out several employees who were still hiding.
"This scene is horrific, I've been involved in this for 34 years and never seen anything like it," Lane said. There were no additional threats to the community, he said, and an additional press conference was scheduled for Friday morning.
Investigators are working to determine whether workplace violence was a factor in the Kroger shooting, two law enforcement sources told CBS News. The investigators are looking into whether the deceased shooter may have been a disgruntled employee, the sources said. The situation is fluid and changing, the sources said, and there does not appear to be a connection to terrorism.
"This is a tragic incident and we are saddened by it": Kroger official says counseling is available to employees
Teresa Dickerson, head of public affairs for Kroger's Western Tennessee division, said the company will offer counseling services for all employees. Police Chief Dale Lane confirmed that 44 employees were in the store at the time of the shooting.
"We stand with our team here at the Collierville store," she said. "We're saddened and heartbroken by what happened here today."
She also thanked the first responders and added that the store will remain closed until further notice.
"This is a tragic incident and we are saddened by it," she said.
It is not clear how many of the victims were store employees.
Authorities received active shooter training just a few months ago
The Collierville Police Department hosted an active shooter training less than three months prior to the shooting, Chief Dale Lane said Thursday. Lane said the training helped victims quickly receive medical assistance.
As a result of the training, local fire and police departments were more integrated and therefore able to respond quickly to the scene and the victims, Lane said.
Douglas Korneski, FBI special agent in charge of the Memphis Field Office, applauded the first responders, saying, "the rapid response here today was commendable."
No officers were injured in the shooting.
Kroger is "deeply saddened" by the shooting and "cooperating with local law enforcement"
Kristal Howard, a spokesperson for Kroger, sent a statement to CBS News following Thursday's shooting:
"We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at our Kroger store located on New Byhalia Rd. in Collierville, TN - a suburb of Memphis. The entire Kroger family offers our thoughts, prayers and support to the individuals and families of the victims during this difficult time.
We are cooperating with local law enforcement, who have secured the store and parking lot. The store will remain closed while the police investigation continues, and we have initiated counseling services for our associates. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we are referring questions to the Collierville Police Department."
Tennessee senators express support for victims
Tennessee Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn are sharing support for the victims on Twitter.
Tragic news out of Collierville, TN, that I'm closely monitoring. I'm grateful to law enforcement & first responders for their heroic actions. Chrissy & I are praying for the victims & this TN community that is hurting. My office is available to anyone needing assistance.
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) September 23, 2021
Our office has been in contact with ATF, TBI, and local authorities on the ground, and we are closely monitoring the situation in Collierville. We are praying for all of the victims.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) September 23, 2021
"It sounded like a balloon popping": Kroger employee who was inside the store speaks out
A woman who was working at a register inside the Kroger said she never would have believed this would happen at the place where she works.
"It sounded a bit like a balloon popping," Brignetta Dickerson told CBS affiliate WREG.
Dickerson, who commutes from Mississippi, said a man opened fire as soon as he walked into the front of the store. She said she did not get a good look at the shooter, saying she wanted to play dead. Police have not released any details about the shooter's identity.
One of her coworkers, she said, was shot in the head. He was alert and asked her to call his mother.
Dickerson said she led a group of people to the back of the store to hide.
"It seemed like I never believed it would happen here where I work," she said, describing the Tennessee town as "beautiful," "peaceful," religious and diverse.
FBI responds to shooting scene
The FBI is at the shooting scene and assisting local police with the investigation, an FBI official told CBS News. The Collierville Police Department is the lead investigative agency.
In the past, the FBI has done evidence collection and processing, but it's unclear what role the bureau will be in this shooting.
Police believe the shooter's vehicle is in the Kroger parking lot, but officials are waiting for more machinery so they can safely inspect the vehicle, said Chief Dale Lane. "This scene is horrific. I've been involved in this for 34 years and never seen anything like it," Lane said.
Authorities are expected to provide another update around 7 p.m. ET.