2 shot, killed at Giant supermarket in Prince George's County: police

OXON HILL, Md. - Authorities say two people were shot and killed at a Giant supermarket in Prince George's County Friday morning after a woman shoplifting pulled a gun from a backpack and fired multiple shots.

Officers responded to the shooting around 10:25 a.m. at the store in the 20 block of Audrey Lane in the Oxon Hill area.

At the scene, officers found a man and woman who had been shot.

The woman was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prince George's County Police Major Zachary O’Lare of the department said the female shoplifter was confronted by a security guard inside the store. 

Employees told FOX 5 the security guard gave the woman multiple orders to return the items and the woman began to fight him. 

Police say the suspected shoplifter then pulled a gun from a backpack and fired multiple shots. That’s when the security guard returned fire.

Investigators later identified the security guard as 43-year-old Willie Tate of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The woman was identified as 20-year-old Zaila Akida of District Heights, Maryland.

"To go from stealing something to pulling out a gun to defend yourself, I think that’s just incomprehensible to me," said Ken Davis, who described the security guard who was killed as friendly.

Others tell FOX 5 that the security guard encouraged his co-workers and would often treat his colleagues to lunch.

"Tate was a good guy. And we’re all like family in Giant, you know? So, when you hear one of your co-workers dying, it hurts," said Steven Matthew, who tells FOX 5 he is a Giant Floor Tech. "It’s out of hand, it’s out of control. But they know that they got to do something about it. It shouldn't have to take this to clean it up. If you see that it’s repeated behavior, you got to clean it up."

Matthew says the staff has previously asked for two-armed security guards due to issues that have happened at the store.

Giant has not responded to FOX 5’s requests for comment. 

The store remained closed for much of the evening, and it’s not clear when it will reopen. A contractor boarded up a window in front of the supermarket with a large hole in the glass.

Giant employees tell FOX 5 that security can’t really make arrests. Instead, they have to wait until the suspect passes the point of sale and then approach the person to ask them to return or drop the item. The employees FOX 5 spoke with said some patrons have been combative in their response.

FOX 5 also reached out to the security company we’re told employed the man killed.

This double shooting happened in the same shopping center where a man was recently fatally stabbed.

"We’re asking the community to partner with us even more to try and stop these violent, brazen attacks that are occurring in our shopping centers," Major O’Lare said.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call PGPD at 301-516-2512. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call 1-866-411-8477

This is a developing story. Check back with FOX 5 for updates.