2 dead, suspect in custody

Shortly before 3 p.m., the suspect – who has not been identified – entered Kroger and shot one man inside, said Jeffersontown Police Chief Sam Rogers. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect also exchanged gunfire with an armed citizen in the parking lot, but neither was shot nor wounded, according to police. Deacon said police arrived and confronted one of the men, who dropped his gun and got on the ground.

The male suspect was caught by police at Hurstbourne Parkway in "close proximity" to the store. Some witnesses pointed to a Honda surrounded by police tape and cruisers nearby.

Police did not provide information on whether or not they were affected at random.

The first call came into MetroSafe at 2:54 pm. Reporting that shots were fired inside the store and that there were reports of "multiple injuries."

Related: Louisville Kroger shooting adds to a thong of public gun violence

Tim King said his wife called him while she was gunshots. She said people started running and an employee directed them to the back of the store.

Elaine Harrell was in the production department asking a question about Kroger, where she heard about it.

She ran – with her cart – the front door along with other panicked shoppers.

Outside, she stood and tried to comfort a distraught Kroger employee. But then, she said, she heard the shooting in the parking lot and ran back inside.

CLOSE

Sam Rogers, Jeffersontown chief of police, gives an update on Wednesday's fatal shooting at Louisville Kroger. Oct. 24, 2018
Sam Upshaw Jr., Louisville Courier Journal

After police had secured the scene, Racheal Huggins showed up to find her daughter who worked at the store and sheltered in a dressing room before she lost phone contact. "She could hear the shots," said Huggins, who found she was safe.

Kroger released a statement saying it is "shocked and saddened by the shooting incident that occurred around 2:30 p.m." It said that it is aiding and abetting the law and that it will be closed after the investigation.

Wednesday evening, police continued to investigate and parking lot remained bound by yellow police tape. Employees at nearby stores shared stories of seeing gunfire, and having a body being hauled away.

Deacon said he did not know what motivated the shooting.

"I just knew the look on that guy's face." "He was like a blank stare … like he did not have a care in the world," he said. "I never thought this would happen in J-town, I never thought."

This story will be updated.

Billy Kobin, Darcy Costello, Allison Ross, Matt Glowicki and Thomas Novelly contributed reporting.