LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On this day one year ago, the Stony Brook Kroger parking lot was covered in crime tape, after a gunman opened fire at the grocery store. Now, there’s flowers in front -- proof this community chooses love.
“He tried so hard to push his hate onto everyone, and he failed,” said Eric Deacon.
He was at the self checkout when he first heard the shots fired. Moments later, he saw the shooter point a gun at 67-year-old Vickie Lee Jones.
“And then I see her go down and I just felt helpless,” he explained.
Deacon was trapped, taking cover. But as soon as the shooting stopped, he ran to try and save her.
“At that point, she was gone.”
Met with guilt, a phone call changed it all. Jones’ family found Deacon through social media, and out of gratitude for his efforts, invited him to her wake.
“I can't even describe how much that helped me. In their time of need, they helped me,” he said.
Maurice Stallard was also killed. The 69-year-old was shopping with his grandson. Friends told WHAS then of his kindness.
Both families are now suing Kroger, claiming the grocery store didn't do enough to prevent this from happening.
In September, Kroger announced a new policy asking customers not to open carry guns while in the store.
Deacon says he still struggles to walk back into the Kroger. “Maybe it’s just best I go into another store,” he said. But he’s determined to forget the hate that caused this tragedy, and remember the love that came from it, instead. “Look at, for instance me going to meet the family, and hugging on them and loving on them and telling them how sorry I was, he tried to take that all away but he was unsuccessful.”
The alleged gunman, Gregory Bush is facing murder and hate crime charges. He was ruled competent to stand trial after an evaluation by the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center.
RELATED | Family of 2018 shooting victim sues Kroger, claiming it didn’t do enough to protect customers
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