Who is Victor Lee Tucker? Georgia man, 30, shoots cashier dead over mask policy
DECATUR, GEORGIA: A cashier has been killed and an off-duty cop severely injured following an argument at a grocery store in DeKalb County, Georgia. According to reports, Victor Lee Tucker shot the two men after arguing with the cashier over the store's mask policy. The cop managed to hit Tucker as well, leading to both of them being hospitalized.
Despite an uptick in vaccination rates, a considerable number of Americans are yet to get vaccinated, meaning they will still need to wear masks. As a result, anti-vaxxers irked by the mask rule have demonstrated some violent protests. In late May, Virginia Christine Brown drove through a vaccination tent in Tennessee. In March, another individual, Terry Wright was arrested in Texas after having a meltdown at a bank over its mask policies.
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Anti-maskers have also been put on no-fly lists for their aggressive stance. Tucker is just the latest in a long line of Americans who refuse to follow the rules. His condition is not known at the moment, as police are yet to reveal further details since he was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.
Who is Victor Lee Tucker?
Not much is known about Tucker. We did find a Facebook profile in his name, but we could not confirm if it does belong to him. That account has no photos or any information, only a few videos have been shared. There is no indication from the Facebook account if Tucker is an anti-masker or an anti-vaxxer. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Tucker is a 30-year-old resident of Palmetto, Georgia. A tweet by journalist Tariq Nasheed calls Tucker a "white supremacist", but there is no proof that he is.
The shooting incident appears to be the first time Tucker has an arrest warrant in his name, we could not find any previous criminal complaints. The GBI has confirmed it will issue an arrest warrant in Tucker's name but has not revealed what the charges are. It is very likely he will face one murder charge since he shot and killed the female cashier. According to reports, on Monday, June 14, Tucker entered the Big Bear grocery store on Candler Road in Decatur at 1.10 pm. He was checking out when he got into an argument with the cashier over his lack of a mask.
In its press release, the GBI said, "Tucker left the store without making his purchase, but immediately returned inside. Tucker walked directly back to the cashier, pulled out a handgun and shot her." He also shot the off-duty DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office deputy, who was working part-time at the store. Reportedly, the deputy attempted to intervene, when he was shot. He then returned fire, injuring Tucker. A second cashier was also grazed by a bullet, but treated at the scene and said to be in good condition.
As Tucker was crawling out of the front door, he was arrested by the DeKalb County Police Department. Tucker and the cashier were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where the cashier was pronounced dead. The deputy is reportedly stable and being treated at Atlanta Medical Center. "As you see, he’s continuing to do what he does to make sure that everybody is safe as they go in and out of that store," DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox told the public.
The owner of the store, who refused to give his name told a local TV channel, "How come they carry all the guns in a public place like that?" He added that he may not allow customers to carry any guns inside the store anymore. According to that report, Tucker is a frequent visitor to the store and reportedly has mental health issues. The store has a mandatory mask policy, which is yet to be lifted.
There are currently mugshots being shared on social media, with users claiming that the individual is Tucker. Please note that these are fake. Tucker is still in hospital and yet to be arrested. The image appears to be of another suspect, whose identity we have not been able to confirm at this time.