Three people were killed Tuesday night at a small grocery store in Montgomery, the US, an outburst of violence that comes after a string of robberies targeting Latino-owned businesses in Alabama’s capital city, Report informs via ABC News.
The shooting at Tienda Los Hermanos, a grocery store on the south side of the city, occurred hours after the city’s mayor urged city council members to support a $6 million proposal for a community intervention program to address crime in Montgomery.
“People working their jobs in their community, trying to make it day-to-day, week-to-week should not be preyed upon. And that’s what we had last night,” Mayor Steven Reed said during a Wednesday news conference.
Police Maj. Saba Coleman said officers responded to a report of gunfire shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday. Two people were dead at the scene. A third man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police are investigating if the shooting is connected to other crimes that targeted Latino-owned businesses.