UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – A man shot and killed a truck driver pumping gasoline on Wednesday and shot and wounded another driver at a Wawa in Upper Macungie Township.
Authorities are investigating the chain of events that led to the seemingly random shootings early Wednesday morning, then ended with the suspect pointing the gun at himself, officials said.
It began with a meeting on Route 22 between Route 309 and Cedar Crest Boulevard, district attorney Jim Martin said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
FULL VIDEO: Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin and other officials discuss a shooting that killed two people, including the suspect.
Two vehicles ‘met’ at 10 p.m. before 5 a.m., and one of the drivers fired at the other vehicle, Martin said.
The woman driving the vehicle didn’t realize her car had been hit until she stopped at Wawa on Schantz Road, off Route 100, for food, Martin said. She was not hurt.
The driver of the other vehicle, who authorities said fired the shot, then pulled into the same Wawa parking lot and drove around the building, Martin said. He then shot a driver who was in a jeep and shot a tractor-trailer driver pumping out of his cab, Martin said.
The truck driver died of his injuries, Martin said.
The Lehigh County coroner’s office identified the truck driver as Ramon Ramirez, 31. He died of a gunshot wound to the body, the coroner’s office said.
The Jeep driver was treated in hospital and his injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, the prosecutor said.
The alleged gunman then took off on foot and ran down Route 100 for about a quarter of a mile before apparently committing suicide, Martin said. The police scene spread along Route 100 to the Brookside Children’s Early Education Center. The center was then closed.
The Lehigh County coroner’s office declared the suspect dead. He was identified as Za Uk Lian, 45, from South Whitehall Township. His death was labeled a suicide.
Investigators are trying to find out a motive for the shootings.
“It seems that the three shootings I described are random and unrelated,” said Martin.
Martin mentioned a quick-thinking Wawa employee who helped protect others. The employee took out trash when he heard the gunshots, so he led two people into the parking lot and warned workers and customers inside, Martin said. Employees quickly closed the doors of the store and everyone inside sheltered in their place, Martin said.
A state police officer was also injured in the incident. He was hit by a vehicle while assisting traffic control, state police said. He was treated in hospital and has since been released.
Investigators concentrated around the vehicles in the parking lot, before finally towing the bullet-ridden vehicles away later Wednesday morning.
“Serious police incident” at Wawa in Upper Macungie