ollierville, Tennessee.
Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane confirmed at a press conference that the gunman shot 15 victims, some of them in serious condition. Thang was shot and committed suicide at the scene; They found him in the back of the store. Police declined to name him at a press conference but later made it known to the media, according to the Daily Memphian.
Age
Uk Thang has died at the age of 29-years-old.
identified as the Gunman Who Shot 15 People
Authorities described the frantic fight for safety that unfolded at Kroger when the shooting broke out in the deli area of the grocery store, not far from Memphis. “We get people out of freezers, cabinets, hiding on pallets,” Lane said at a press conference on Sept. 24. The gunman’s name is also spelled, UK Thang.
Thank you to Ms. Dickerson, 32 year employee of Kroger for leading your co-workers and customers to safety.
— State Representative Antonio Parkinson (@TNRepParkinson) September 23, 2021
“It breaks my heart to have to stand in front of you today,” Lane said at a previous news conference, calling the mass shooting “the most horrific event in Collierville’s history.”
There were also scenes of heroism in the midst of the tragedy.
Many mentioned the heroism of longtime Kroger employee Brignetta Dickerson, who helped guide others to safety.
This is who we should be thinking about and celebrating in wake of the dreadful mass shooting in #collierville #TN. I think her name was ‘Miss Dickerson’, she’s worker for .@kroger for 32 yrs and she ushered 3 employees & 3 customers to safety via the back doors.
❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/CiqGCZBOLG
— Florence The Wonder Cat (@Florenc00526929) September 23, 2021
The chief confirmed that the woman who died was named Olivia King. King was a mother of three who was remembered for her religious devotion and sweet personality. Ten victims were Kroger employees and five were customers. Several people remain in very serious condition, said the chief.
At a press conference, he said: “I ask that you keep Olivia King’s family in your prayers. The number of shots is now 15, but luckily our prayers were answered and they all went ahead overnight. I’m not going to give her name in this forum and give her that notoriety ”.
Witness
BREAKING: At least one person dead and 13 injured in shooting at Kroger grocery store near Memphis, Tennessee officials say. The shooter has died of what officials say they believe to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. https://t.co/hbwFdcsbLO pic.twitter.com/3Illn8hMae
— ABC News (@ABC) September 23, 2021
Witnesses told the Daily Memphian that the shooting “started in the deli area and they described the gunman as having dark hair and eyes. Some reported that he was carrying a military-style rifle. ”
Initial audio from the police dispatch, available on Broadcastify, said there were “four gunshot victims” in the back of Kroger next to the dumpster, one person was “near the deli with a gunshot wound to possible shoulder “and” another party was off Kroger, with a gunshot wound to the shoulder and back. ”
According to News 3, the suspect “may have been an outside vendor who worked in the deli section.”
A woman shopping near the delicatessen described the scene to News 3: “This person arrives dressed in black with maybe a shield on her face, I don’t know for sure. And I heard “pop, pop, pop.” And I said, “I can’t believe it. It’s real. ‘It was a pretty quick succession of at least 12 shots.”
On Facebook, people claimed the suspect was a fired sushi chef, although authorities did not confirm that detail. Lane confirmed that the suspect worked for a third-party vendor. She declined to confirm whether the suspect had been fired from his job.
“My sister worked until 2,” wrote a woman on Facebook. “The sushi chef disagreed with another employee and the sushi chef left or fired him and came back. He heard the first sound of popping, thought it ballooned, and then heard more. I can’t imagine the horror they all felt. ”
Described by a Friend as Someone Involved in Church
Uk Thang’s cousin Pang Cing told The Daily Beast that he heard the news from Thang’s parents, but had not seen him in 10 years.
Bawi Thang knew Thang, although they are not related, and he told the Daily Beast that Thang “was always involved in the church. I always admired him. ”Those accounts add to the mystery of what caused the gunman to break down and become a mass murderer, according to police.
The shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the police chief says. “The shooter has passed away,” he confirmed. “We believe it will be from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.”
Memphis police confirmed there was a shooting at the Kroger. Memphis police officers are at the scene of a shooting at Kroger located at 240 New Byhalia Road in Collierville, TN to support the Collierville Police Department. MPD is helping to secure the perimeter and the scene, ”they wrote on Twitter.
“On September 23, 2021, at approximately 1:30 pm, the Collierville Police Department received a call regarding an active shooter at Kroger located at 240 New Byhalia Road in Collierville. Information from the callers that a male individual was armed with a gun shooting at others inside the store, ”the mayor wrote in a press release.
“The first officers on the scene encountered several buyers and employees, some shot by the suspect. Officers located approximately 13 people who suffered injuries, including gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel from the Collierville Fire Department arrived to help provide medical assistance to those in need. All the victims have been transferred to hospitals in the area ”. (the number of injured later rose to 15.)
The statement continued: “At this time, we believe that a single suspect is responsible for the attack. He was in the back of the store with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is dead. Another victim has also died. ”
“This is a horrible day in Collierville. Our hearts go out to the victims, families, and friends involved in the senseless tragedy. Please keep our community in your thoughts and prayers, ”Chief Dale Lane said. “At this time, there are no known threats to the Collierville community and our department is working diligently to prevent further violence.”
Suspect
The suspect’s background slowly emerged.
UK Thang had some “minor charges, misdemeanor arrests, but nothing for violence,” Lane said. As for the motive, he said, “We all want to know why,” but said the police were not ready to release that information. Thang has no criminal record in Shelby County.
The video emerged from the scene.
Jason Lusk, who recorded the videos above, wrote on Facebook: “He took about 12 shots when I got to my car. My phone was in the car and I managed to record one of the takes and the police arrived ”.
One woman wrote in her comment thread: “My co-worker’s brother was shot and the air rose. His sister-in-law was shepherded. ”
Collierville is a community located in Shelby County which is a suburb of Memphis. The photos and videos showed a massive response from law enforcement agencies to the scene.
Jennifer Casey, a public information officer for the City of Collierville, confirmed to the Business Appeal that there was an active shooter at the Kroger. She told the newspaper that there are multiple injuries, but was not more specific.
You can listen to the initial scan audio here. It comes in the last minutes of this audio file.
In the audio from the scanner, an officer said: “Contact all agencies for mutual assistance.” An officer said at another time: “I need more ambulances.” The Daily Memphian reported that a Kroger employee climbed onto the roof during security, but the entire shooting occurred inside the store.
Police Found Thang’s Vehicle in the Parking
#BREAKING: Police investigating active shooter incident at Kroger grocery store in Tennessee#BreakingNews #Tennessee #USA pic.twitter.com/I3UHEI4j38
— International Leaks (@Internl_Leaks) September 23, 2021
Lane said the call exploded at 1:30 p.m. for an active shooter. The police arrived four minutes later. “When we entered the building, there were several people shot,” Lane said, adding that police went from hall to hall, pulling out employees who were in hiding and helping victims who were injured.
Police revealed that they searched the suspect’s nearby apartment.
Juanita Ford, a neighbor, told the Daily Beast: “He stays alone, he never talks or anything. I spent it going to my car going to work and things like that, I only saw him in passing, he never spoke to anyone. ”
The chief said the alleged assailant’s vehicle was in the parking lot and police were waiting for additional equipment to search the vehicle.
Fox13 reported that its news crews witnessed “two medical helicopters landed on the outskirts of Kroger” and that Collierville High School was briefly closed.
Brignetta Dickerson, the Kroger employee named Hero, told WKRN that she heard gunshots while she was working at the register.
She ran.
“And here he comes right behind us and he started shooting. And she kept shooting, shooting, shooting. She shot one of my co-workers in the head and one of my clients in the stomach, ”she told the television channel. Her coworker, shot in the head, asked for her mother but she survived.
#BREAKING: Pictures from our crew in Collierville at a reported active shooter situation at the Kroger on New Byhalia Road. https://t.co/nMOlstwH18 pic.twitter.com/BPsAJVERDo
— Local 24 News (@LocalMemphis) September 23, 2021
Glenda McDonald, who works at the Kroger, told The Commercial Appeal that she heard the shot and said, “I ran out the door. I left my bag, my keys, everything. ”
People Offered Prayers for Collierville on Social Media
Active shooter at Kroger in Collierville Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/DgD7cWI6PB
— Cole_Memphis_Tn (@Cole61420840) September 23, 2021
The people of Collierville wrote about the reports of the shooting on social media. “There’s an active shooter at the Kroger across the street from my job. He was literally there, pouring gas,” wrote one man on Twitter.
“There is an active shooter at a Kroger grocery store in a neighboring city. Please pray,” wrote one woman on Twitter.
One man wrote: “Local friends, stay away from the Collierville Kroger. Active shooter situation there. Pray for our community, please ”.
