Update (October 26, 2018): Gregory Alan Bush, a white man who killed two Black people at a Kentucky Kroger, tried to gain access to a Black church before his supermarket killing spree, The New York Times reports.

Bush arrived at the First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown shortly after Wednesday service concluded. Although roughly ten people were inside the church post-service, the building's doors were locked.

A member of the church in the parking lot reportedly grew suspicious when they saw the gunman pulling desperately on the church's front doors. That parishioner said Bush gave up after about 10 minutes and drove away.

The church's administrator, Billy Williams, was in the church as the gunman tried to find a way in, and told the Times he's glad Bush didn't visit the sacred space earlier in the evening.

“There were 70 people here at our weekly meeting service just an hour before he came by,” Williams said. “I’m just thankful that all of our doors and security was in place.”

Original: A shooting that left two people dead at a Kentucky Kroger might have been racially motivated.

Gregory Alan Bush stormed into a Jeffersontown Kroger on Wednesday and gunned down two people.

The first victim, Maurice E. Stallard, 69, was shot while he shopped with his 12-year-old grandson. An arrest citation says Bush "pulled a pistol from his waistband and shot [a man] in the rear of the head and again multiple times as he lay on the floor." The boy was not harmed.

The second victim, Vickie Lee Jones, 67, was gunned down in the parking lot. WAVE reports several witnesses told them both of the victims were Black people.

Bush also exchanged gunfire with an armed customer before the police apprehended him. The citation said Bush and the man, who had a concealed carry license, were “firing wildly…throughout the parking lot." The men were not injured during the exchange.

Witness Ed Harrell told The Courier-Journal that Bush told him he did not have to worry because he is white.

“Don’t shoot me. I won't shoot you. Whites don’t shoot whites,” Bush allegedly said.

Customer Eric Deacon witnessed the shootout and described Bush’s opponent as “an African American gentleman.” He believes the unidentified man led Bush outside to save other people from being harmed.

Deacon, who has EMT training, attempted to administer aid to Jones, but it was too late.

“There was nothing I could do,” he said.

Bush had a history of mental health issues, according to WDRB. In 2009, he was taken to a mental health hospital following a domestic dispute with his ex-wife. A judge ordered him to surrender his weapons after his ex-wife filed an emergency protective order.

According to court records, he called his ex-wife a “n****r b***h.” The woman said her ex-husband was "paranoid and was put on medication” but discontinued the meds.

Bush was charged with two counts of murder and 10 counts of felony wanton endangerment. He is being held on a $5 million bond. His first court hearing will be on Friday.

Stallard was the father of Kellie Watson, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s chief racial equity officer. Fischer tweeted his condolences.

I am heartbroken by this shameful and horrifying incident, and I am angry about the tragedy that results from people with guns who have no respect for human life. Over the coming days, we will learn more about what happened. 1/2

— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) October 24, 2018

I am heartbroken by this shameful and horrifying incident, and I am angry about the tragedy that results from people with guns who have no respect for human life. Over the coming days, we will learn more about what happened. 1/2

— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) October 24, 2018

Additionally, Kroger issued a statement on Twitter about the shooting.

pic.twitter.com/IaF7KeNWpr

— Kroger (@kroger) October 24, 2018

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Maurice E. Stallard

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