A former Stop & Shop employee was found guilty of killing his supervisor and attempting to kill two coworkers when he fired shots in the West Hempstead Stop & Shop in April 2021, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday.
Gabriel DeWitt Wilson, 33, of Hempstead, injured two employees and killed a grocery manager, 49-year-old Raymond Wishropp, during the shooting. He was found and arrested by Nassau County police officers a few hours later.
“Disgruntled employee Gabriel Wilson entered the West Hempstead Stop and Shop with a loaded semi-automatic gun and the intent to kill,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement. “This defendant has shown zero remorse for his actions. We thank the jury for their service and our thoughts are with Ray’s many family members, friends, and longtime coworkers – many of whom attended the trial – as they continue to mourn his senseless loss.”
According to Donnelly, Wilson entered the supermarket at about 11:19 a.m. on April 20, 2021. Though he was employed at the West Hempstead store, he was not scheduled to work at this time. He went upstairs, where the manager and offices are located, and shot two employees multiple times, striking and injuring each of them.
Wilson then went to the next room and shot Wishropp, who was eating on his lunch break, in the chest and leg. Wishropp was pronounced dead on the scene. Wilson then fled on foot and was arrested at about 3:50 p.m. in Hempstead.
Wilson was found guilty for one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces a maximum of 90 years to life in prison.
