ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — The Rockdale County Sheriff says the fatal shooting of a female employee at a Goodwill donation center may have been an act of revenge.
Authorities said they found Pamela Harmon, 57, dead in the parking lot from a gunshot wound just after 8 a.m. Officials said Harmon was on her way to work.
Investigators said the suspect, Brandon Lamar Johnson, was a former co-worker at the Goodwill store.
"It's hard for us at Goodwill to experience anything like this especially when it is a loss of one of our own in such a tragic way," said Elaine Armstrong with Goodwill.
Police told Artz that Harmon had filed a complaint against Johnson, who was then transferred to another store.
According to local business owners, Harmon had worked at the location for 11 years.
Channel 2's Liz Artz was at the scene when police towed the woman's car away while K-9 dog searched the inside of the business.
One business owner told Artz the employee was shot inside and outside the store.
Investigators said surveillance video helped them identify Johnson as the suspect, who was shot and killed by West Virginia State Police in a shootout late Tuesday afternoon.
Betty Maddox said she normally drops items off at the donation center and knew the employee.
"(She was) very polite, very professional. Only good things that I can say about this lady. And my heart goes out to the family right about now," Maddox said.
The Rockdale sheriff said Harmon was from Covington and has grown children. He said he knew the victim and the suspect from dropping donations off at the center.
WSBTV
