A man fatally shot a woman and her young grandson before turning the gun on himself inside a Publix Super Market in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Thursday, authorities said.
The shooting happened shortly before noon in the produce area of the store at 1180 Royal Palm Beach Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach.
Publix employee Gus Downs said he initially thought it was balloons popping.
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“I just heard three loud pops and next thing I knew they were chasing everyone out of the store," Downs said.
Palm Beach Sheriff's Office officials said deputies responded to the shooting and found the man, woman and child dead.
Officials said the woman was the child's grandmother. The child would have turned two years old later this month, officials said.
Their family invoked Marsy's Law, and law enforcement will not be releasing the names of the woman and the child.
Authorities identified Timothy J. Wall, 55, as the gunman. There is no known motive or relationship between Wall and the victims, the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office said.
Witnesses said they heard three gunshots and then started running for the store's exits.
"Everyone started coming out yelling 'Active shooter! Shots fired! Get out! Get out!' and I saw about 50 customers and staff leave I would say in about 10 or 15 seconds," witness Ron Glassman said.
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Detectives are investigating what led to the shooting, officials said.
"What we’re doing right now is we are documenting the scene, we are trying to determine what led up to the shooting. We are talking to witnesses, reviewing video," Sheriff's Office spokesperson Teri Barbera said.
"Our thoughts are with those who are impacted by this tragedy. We are cooperating with the local law enforcement," a Publix spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. "Since this is an active police investigation, we cannot confirm any additional details."
No other information was immediately known.
Check back with NBC 6 for updates.
