By Staff
Two people were shot and killed as gunfire rang out inside the Atmore Dirt Cheap Friday morning.
Investigators at the scene of the shooting, which occurred at 11 a.m., are calling the incident a murder-suicide.
"We're trying to sort things out right now," Escambia County Sheriff's Office chief deputy John Gleaton said at the scene. "We will be working with the Atmore Police Department during the investigation."
The victims, a female and a male employee at the store who were also dating, were both pronounced dead at the scene upon arrival of rescue personnel with both Atmore Ambulance and Kelley's Ambulance Service.
According to Emmanuel Banks, who played football at Escambia County High School with the shooter, whom he identified as 22-year-old Justin Clark, said the shooting was part of an ongoing domestic dispute. The victim was identified as 21-year-old, mother of two, Shardae Arnold by her uncle, Charles Johnson, who was at the scene.
Investigators with the Atmore Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff's Office and the 21st Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force continue this afternoon to process the crime scene.
For more information on the shooting, see Sunday's edition of the Atmore Advance.