November 23, 2010 Security officer shot at Penn. grocery store www.privateofficer.com
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. Nov 23 2010 — One suspect has been arrested and another is being sought in connection with a shooting at a Weis Markets in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County.
Luis Daniel Cora-Romero, of Lancaster, was charged with retail theft, aggravated assault, robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. He is in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Kenneth Peralta, 38, of Lancaster, is being sought. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Peralta is asked to call East Lampeter Township police at 717-291-4676. Peralta should be considered armed and dangerous.
On Sunday afternoon, a security officer at the Weis Markets grocery store in the 1600 block of Lincoln Highway East was shot.
Officials with Weis Markets confirmed their security officer, Bryan Fantom, was chasing two men accused of shoplifting at about 1 p.m.
When the pair walked out of the store without paying, the store manager and loss prevention officer stopped them at the door, police said. They struggled with one another and someone shouted, “He’s got a gun.”
Peralta hit the loss prevention officer in the head with the gun and fired several shots, police said. Fantom was taken to the hospital.
“This could have been a much worse tragedy. We have one serious injury. We have at least 30 people in that parking lot in range of that firearm at the time this was occurring. Yes, it could have been a much worse tragedy,” said Sgt. Marlene Leighty, of East Lampeter Township police.
A witness told News 8 the two suspects took off with razor blades, which they are accused of taking from the store.
In a statement Weis Markets told News 8, they appreciate “the hard work Fantom has been doing. At this moment our thoughts and prayers are with him.”
Police said they think the shooter got away in a dark blue or black Ford Taurus with Pennsylvania license plate HNT 6089.
