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Police: Georgia shopper beaten, shot at in Kroger parking lot

ATLANTA — A shopper was robbed, beaten and shot at in the parking lot of a Georgia grocery store, police said.

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His assailants also told the man to “stop moving or (I’m going to have to) kill you,” according to the report.

The incident happened about midnight Wednesday, which is one hour before closing time at the Kroger on Old National Highway, according to a new police report.

The customer, described as a 47-year-old College Park resident, was putting groceries in his car when two armed robbers walked up to him, demanded his wallet and cellphone, and pistol-whipped him, Fulton police said.

“I’m just minding my own business,” the victim told the robbers. “I’m trying to go home. Just leave me alone.”

The encounter started when one of the men asked the victim for his car keys and he refused, according to the report.

“Give me your wallet instead,” the robber said.

At that point, the victim started resisting.

“Stop moving or (I’m going to have to) kill you,” one of the robbers told him.

The robber then snatched at the victim’s wallet, causing it to fall. An accomplice picked it up and one of the men cocked a firearm, according to the report.

“Open your car,” one of the men said. “We going to ride together. I should kill you right now for resisting.”

The robber hit the victim on the left side of his head, police said.

The victim started walking quickly toward the grocery store, and that’s when he heard at least one gunshot and saw a store window shatter, according to the police report.

Fulton County police Officer Sherton Hutchins, who was in the area doing a business check, heard the shot.

The officer then saw two men in gray clothes sprint across Old National Highway. Hutchins ran toward the victim while others searched the area for the two robbers, police said.

They have not been found.

Detectives are now looking at surveillance video for clues into who the robbers are. Kroger spokesman Felix Turner said that store officials were “in full cooperation with local authorities to provide any information as they investigate the incident.”

In a statement, he said Kroger is committed to providing a secure environment for all customers.

“As part of this commitment,” Turner said, “Kroger has invested in several measures at the Old National Highway location, including in-store security, security patrol in the parking lot, surveillance equipment and associate training. “