ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — Witnesses described a chaotic and painful scene on Thursday after three people were killed, including a child, in a shooting inside a Publix grocery store in Royal Palm Beach.
"Everyone was yelling, active shooter, shots fired, get out, get out," said Dr. Ron Glassman, who had just come out of a nearby bank. "I saw about 50 customers and staff leave in about 10 or 15 seconds."
HEAR FROM WITNESSES:
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to the shooting just after 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Royal Palm Beach Boulevard and Okeechobee Boulevard at The Crossroads shopping center.
When deputies arrived, they found three people dead from gunshot wounds: a man, woman, and child. The sheriff's office said the shooter is one of deceased.
"Just screams. Couldn't see facial expressions on anyone. But screaming, get back, hand waving, get away, get away," Glassman said. "This is unfortunately getting so common."
Juan Gurardia was inside the deli area of the store when the shots rang out just before 12 p.m.
"One employee runs and says, there's a shooter," Gurardia said. "All employees ran to the back side of the supermarket."
Tracy Greene had just finished getting her nails done and was driving home when she saw the massive law enforcement presence on Okeechobee Boulevard.
"I thank God for being with me, because what if I went to Publix?" Greene said. "I just thank God for being with me."
Greene, a daycare worker, was particularly shaken by the tragic reality that a child is among the victims.
"When I found out the news, I was upset, because a child," Greene said. "It hurt, because I never thought it would get this close to home."
The sheriff's office said detectives are in the beginning stages of determining what led up to the shooting.