PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Newly filed court documents are shedding light on the moments that led up to a shooting at a Portsmouth Food Lion. It happened while the store was open on Tuesday night.
In the criminal complaint, the whole situation stemmed from an argument between a cashier and a customer.
The complaint does not say what they argued about, but it says things escalated into gunfire when the customer's boyfriend Tyler M. Mercer, 27, pulled a gun during a fight with the cashier.
Records said responding officers arrived at the Food Lion on London Boulevard after 8 p.m. on Tuesday. They found three men with injuries, according to court documents.
The documents go on to say that a cashier and a customer argued. The customer's boyfriend, Mercer, overheard the argument, then walked into the business, a detective wrote.
Mercer grabbed the cashier by the collar and the two fought to the ground, documents said
The cashier told the detective that he and Mercer struggled for Mercer's gun, but Mercer fired it. A single shot was fired striking the cashier and a security officer trying to break up the fight, according to a police spokesperson.
Frequent shopper Anthony Knight felt disturbed it all happened in such a public place.
"A lot of things could be avoided with just talking it out, just ignoring or walking away," Knight said.
He said he is on high alert after learning about the shooting.
"Be wary, be aware," Knight said.
In the middle of the fight, the security officer allegedly tried to get Mercer to stop by striking him in the head with a "blunt object," police said.
"All involved parties are expected to make full recoveries," a police spokesperson added.
A Portsmouth resident who wanted to stay anonymous told 13News Now what happened Tuesday night isn't keeping him away from the store. The resident called it an "isolated incident," but also shared this note.
"You don't have to resort to drastic measures about everything," he said. "You've just got to keep a cool head, think about it before you act. Think before you act."
In the complaint, Portsmouth police described Mercer as the "primary aggressor" when he went up to the cashier.
Mercer faces two charges of unlawful wounding and one for assault and battery. He's out on a $2,000 secured bond and has a court hearing set for later this month.
Even though security is already in place at the store, a Food Lion spokesperson told 13News Now on Wednesday they're working with local law enforcement to implement additional security measures.
The company is also offering support to employees.