Shooting inside a Redding Grocery Outlet sends 1 to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

Authorities with the Redding Police Department have released new information regarding the shooting incident that took place at the Grocery Outlet on Churn Creek Road Thursday Afternoon. Several units from the Redding Police Department responded to a call that shots were fired at the Grocery Outlet at approximately 1:30 pm Thursday. When Officers arrived, a single victim was located outside of the Grocery store, suffering from a single gunshot wound. The victim, who had yet to be named, was treated on scene for the gunshot wound he was then transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

At this time the victim’s current condition isn’t known, but the Redding Police Department says that the victim is expected to survive. Redding Officers told KRCR that they had contact with the victim earlier the same day. It was reported that the victim had a gun on Hilltop Drive. However, Officers let him go after they determined that he didn’t have a firearm, nor had he committed a crime.

Initially, Officers with the Redding Police Department thought the shooting had happened outside the store. Further information documented the shooting took place inside the store. Authorities made contact with the shooter, identified as 78-year-old Ronald Pember. Pember was detained inside the store and was booked into the Shasta County jail on charges of suspicion of assault with a firearm. No information regarding bond, court hearings, or additional charges has been released at this time.

Officers learned that Pember and the victim engaged in an argument while doing some shopping. Then the confrontation turned physical Pember produced a handgun and shot the unarmed man one time. The victim then left the grocery store, leaving the 78-year-old suspect inside. Employees with the Grocery Outlet declined to speak to KRCR’s Sam Chmenti when he reached out for comment noting it was company policy not to comment.

KRCR was able to speak with the manager of the Dutch Bros Stand that sits across the street from the Grocery Outlet. The manager, Connor Delong said that “he arrived at work just as Police were arriving at the Grocery Outlet. The Dutch Bros staff were all confused by what was happening because they didn’t hear any gunshots.” Employees of the stand said that the victim was at the stand that day however they had asked him to leave. Employees noted that “there was a homeless dude that had come up to our walk-up window and was being a little belligerent.” Delong further said “we served him his drink and then told him to leave the property, so, then he left our property and went over to the Grocery Outlet. Then, shots were fired.”

Delong witnessed the victim being loaded into the ambulance, noticing that he didn’t have much blood coming out of him. Further saying that he was wearing a white t-shirt and couldn’t spot much blood on the victim. “It looked like he was barely bleeding. Almost looked like he got scraped hard, looked like he got barely grazed.”. Delong said that all things considered, the victim looked in good condition. Delong told KRCR that while the incident was close to home, he commended his employees for responding well and doing their jobs throughout the chaos. KRCR states that Delong is a native of Redding and that he still feels safe at work despite what had happened. In the end, Delong was relieved that everyone was safe and sound. Continue following this story as new information continues to be released. Let us pray that the victim makes a full recovery and that the man responsible for the shooting receives the sentence fitting the crime he committed.