Dollar General manager who was also mom of 3 shot dead over $1.58 purchase
A Dollar General store manager has died after she was allegedly shot by a customer during a dispute over a $1.58 purchase of hamburger buns, in an incident that ended with the gunman being killed by police just hours later.
Alexis Hill, 44, was working at a Dollar General location on Victory Drive in Columbus, Georgia, on the morning of Tuesday 23 June when she was fatally shot while ringing up a customer.
According to officials cited by WKRC and WTVM, the customer, later identified as 33-year-old Jerome Willis, handed Hill two crumpled $1 bills to cover the cost of the buns.
As she straightened out the cash, Willis reportedly stepped aside, pulled out a gun, and shot her.
Advert
Hill was shot just after 10am local time. Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan pronounced her dead at the scene shortly after, at around 10.45am, according to WTVM.
What happened to the Dollar General shooting suspect?
Willis fled the store following the shooting but was tracked down by officers with the Columbus Police Department (CPD) roughly an hour later, at around 11.40am, after being located in a nearby parking lot.
Officers gave Willis "verbal commands," which he failed to comply with, according to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), which is now investigating the incident. Police then released a K-9 unit in an attempt to apprehend him.
Willis shot at the police dog and went on to point his weapon at the officers present, the GBI confirmed.
Officers returned fire, hitting Willis "multiple times," and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both the police dog and one CPD officer were shot during the confrontation, though the GBI said the pair sustained injuries that were "non-life-threatening."
According to Hill's family, she and Willis were not known to each other prior to the shooting, WKRC reported
Who was Alexis Hill, the Dollar General manager who died?
In the days since her death, tributes to Hill have poured in from loved ones and members of the community. A friend of Hill's, who said she was the godmother of her child, described her to WTVM as "sweet" and "positive," adding: "She'd make you laugh. She loved that job, and she worked her entire butt off for that job."
Hill's brother, Jonathan, told WKRC that his sister "can't be replaced," adding: "It's a loss that I'm going to have to deal with, and the family is going to have to deal with."
Hill is survived by her three children and two grandchildren. Jonathan has since set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses, describing his sister as "a beloved sister, mother, grandmother, and member of our family whose sudden tragic passing has left us heartbroken."
"Alexis touched many lives with her kindness, generosity and spirit, and we want to come together to celebrate her life and support her estate during this difficult time," he wrote in the fundraiser description.
Speaking to UNILAD, a spokesperson for Dollar General said: "We are deeply saddened over the tragic loss of our Columbus store manager Alexis Hill. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with our employee’s family and friends during this difficult time. We have been in direct contact with the family to offer support and condolences. Currently, the store remains closed, and grief counselors will be available for area employees.
"We are cooperating with local authorities investigating this crime and respectfully ask for any future media inquiries to be directed to law enforcement."
UNILAD has contacted Columbus Police Department for comment.
Thomas Bamford