COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — The alleged shooter at the Collierville Kroger has been identified as 29-year-old UK Thang.
The number of victims shot in the Collierville Kroger shooting is now up to 15, Police Chief Dale Lane said Friday. They are stable, Lane said.
Thursday night, police executed a search warrant at 885 Federal Ridge Road in Collierville, which Lane said was the suspect’s residence. Evidence taken from that residence is being processed, and one person was questioned.
Lane said the identity of the suspected shooter is known and would be revealed soon, but that person would not be named in the Friday morning press conference. He was a third-party vendor working at the Kroger, Lane said.
Lane said the shooter took his own life as law enforcement was pulling up to the scene.
There is one confirmed death in the shooting. Police confirmed her name was Olivia King. She is one of the 15 victims, Lane said.
Ten of the victims were employees of Kroger, and five were customers, Lane said.
“My heart’s broken for the victims here,” he said.
Lane also confirmed that a vehicle searched in the Kroger parking lot, believed to belong to the shooter, had tags from Davidson County, Tennessee. Lane would not comment on any possible Nashville-area connection.
Collierville Fire Department Chief Buddy Billings said the department had purchased ballistic gear three years ago and began training for a situation like this. He credited that training and equipment with saving lives.
“People will reflect back and say ‘Where were you when the Kroger shooting happened?'” Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner said.
Kroger released a new statement on the incident Friday, saying they are continuing to pay employees while the store remains closed.
We are horrified and heartbroken over the senseless violence that occurred yesterday at the Kroger store located on New Byhalia Rd. in Collierville, TN, resulting in the death of one customer as well as the assailant and injuries to several other individuals, including 10 of our associates and five customers. In the hours since the shooting, we’re learning of truly heroic acts that included associates, customers and first responders selflessly helping to protect and save others. We will remain forever grateful to the first responders who so bravely responded to protect our associates and customers. The entire Kroger family offers our thoughts, prayers and support to those impacted by this tragedy, including our associates, customers and first responders, and their families. The store will remain closed while law enforcement completes their investigation. We are continuing to provide our associates with pay as well as support through our Helping Hands fund. We’ve also initiated counseling services for our associates. Lastly, to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we continue to refer questions to the Collierville Police Department, but can confirm the identified suspect was a third-party vendor.
Kroger spokesperson
