JARRATT, Va. -- A mother and son are among the three suspects investigators believe fired guns inside a Dollar General store in Jarratt, Virginia, last Saturday.
“There’s an ongoing issue between the (unrelated) teenager and the son,” Capt. Mike Kessinger with the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office said. “They start exchanging gunfire right at the front door of the Dollar General.”
Deputies arrived at the Jarratt location within three minutes of a 911 call on June 17. They say more than a half dozen people were inside at the time of the shooting.
“They (officers) entered that building without hesitation. They cleared the building,” said Kessinger.
As they cleared the store, deputies found a teenager with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators told CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil, the only journalist on the scene that night, they believe Monica German, 43, and her son Makharion German went to the store to shop but crossed paths with the third person involved in the shooting. That suspect is a juvenile and has not been named by authorities.
“Mom was inside shopping. She saw the teenager with a gun. She saw the exchange of gunfire,” said Kessinger. “That’s when she started exchanging gunfire inside the store with the teenager.”
More than a dozen rounds were fired according to law enforcement. Afterwards, Makharion is said to have fled while his mother and the teenage suspect remained inside the store.
Though detectives believe three guns were involved, only two are currently in evidence. Deputies claim they recovered one handgun in the Dollar General parking lot and a second from inside an employee breakroom microwave. They are asking for the public’s help in locating the third weapon.
Monica and Markharion German both face multiple felony charges including attempted murder, malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and shooting in an occupied building.
The juvenile faces similar charges including possession of a firearm by a minor, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, malicious wounding, and attempted murder.
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All three remain behind bars. The Germans are scheduled to be in court on July 31.
The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about what may have led up to the shooting or the location of the third gun to call Crime Solvers at 434-594-4400.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
