Walgreens employee in California dies in shooting

MADERA, Calif. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - A nightmare Monday night as the Madera Police Department (MPD) says 30-year-old Narciso Fernandez entered a Walgreens, pulled out a handgun and shot an employee.

"I've not seen anything to this magnitude in our town," said Alexis Miller-Jones, a Madera resident.

"He not only point blank murdered the store employee, Erick Velasquez, but the store manager and a female victim after the shooting fled out the front door and he turned and started shooting towards them," said Chief Gino Chiaramonte with MPD.

Miller-Jones said she's shaken after she's shaken after she learned about a shooting at her usual shopping spot.

"Another Walgreens one time, somebody busted in the doors and stole a bunch of cigarettes, but that was the biggest...This is a lot more scary," Miller-Jones shared.

MPD shared video of Fernandez pointing a gun at a surveillance camera, and the video cuts to black as he shoots at the camera.

"When they arrived, they located the suspect standing at his vehicle, reloading his handgun," Chief Chiaramonte said.

Police also shared video of Fernandez's surrender.

"His statement was he knew it was over by the amount of law enforcement presence with lights and sirens coming. He said, in his mind, he gave up," Chiaramonte explained.

Police took Fernandez was taken into custody without incident, but now they're wondering why the suspect drove nearly 90 miles to carry out a shooting to shoot someone he didn't know.

"He's from Pixley...has no reason to be here, has no relation to any of the employees or connection to the Walgreens in Madera. He has no criminal history," Chiaramonte shared.

Although early on, investigators have revealed Fernandez has may have ill will against pharmacies.

"He has generalized anger towards pharmacies through previous issues," Chiaramonte said.

And now, two families are torn and left with questions.

"We have a victim and a wife that has two children that are now reeling, trying to put the pieces together themselves and answer the question of why," Chiaramonte expressed.

People just going about their daily lives are also dealing with the shock of incident.

"I normally come with my young child. He's 11 years old, you know, And it does change your perspective on I'm just doing your normal everyday shopping," Miller-Jones also expressed.