Man kills woman, shoots self at Fort Lewis Post Exchange

Man kills woman, shoots self at Fort Lewis PX

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — A 59-year-old retired soldier shot a female civilian worker to death Wednesday inside a bustling store at the Fort Lewis Army base, then shot and wounded himself, Army officials said.

The man was hospitalized in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his head, Army Maj. Mike Garcia said.

The Army did not release the identity of the man or woman. Officials said the woman was a civilian working at the store and that the 59-year-old man was a retired soldier from Lakewood, Wash.

The relationship between the two wasn’t known, nor was a motive for the shootings.

In a release, the Army said military police responded to calls of shots fired at the Fort Lewis Post Exchange around 11:20 a.m. Though the post was busy with a lunchtime crowd, no one else was injured, officials said.

Military police responded within minutes, and the store was evacuated. It remained closed pending the investigation.

The FBI has assumed the lead in the investigation and is collaborating with Fort Lewis authorities as well as U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.