Walmart worker, 45, fatally shot by masked gunman after shift in Cheltenham Township

A 45-year-old Walmart employee was shot and killed late Wednesday in the parking lot of the Cheltenham Township store where she worked, minutes after her shift ended, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Kevin R. Steele identified her as Latosha Ann Cooper. In a statement issued Thursday, Steele said the shooting happened at about 11:30 p.m. near Cooper's car outside the Easton Road store, CBS Philadelphia reported. The Philadelphia Inquirer said she was hit several times while standing by her vehicle, about to head home.

According to 6abc Action News, the Walmart is part of the Cedarbrook Plaza shopping center at Easton Road and Greenwood Avenue. Some outlets described the site as being in Glenside, while others placed it in the township's Wyncote section.

The Inquirer reported that witnesses described the gunman to police as masked and that the attacker got away. Cooper was transported to a hospital and died there, the newspaper said. 6abc reported that she was discovered lying beside a white Nissan, and that the car's rear door had at least one visible bullet hole.

FOX 29 and 6abc reported that no one had been arrested as of Thursday and that police had not described the shooter or shared details about any possible suspect. Speaking for Steele, a spokesperson told the Inquirer that investigators are handling the case as a homicide and have not determined why Cooper was targeted. CBS Philadelphia reported that an autopsy was planned for Thursday.

Cooper had spent 22 years at the store, and her latest role there was stocking coach, the Inquirer reported, based on her Facebook profile. Relatives did not answer the paper's attempts to reach them.

The store, located at 1000 S. Easton Road, was set to stay closed Thursday, according to 6abc.

The Inquirer also noted an earlier shooting at the same Walmart in 2018, when five people were hurt. The man responsible fired while standing in a checkout line; a jury found him guilty of aggravated assault and other charges, and he is now in state prison on a sentence of 25 to 62 years, the paper reported.

Investigators are seeking tips. People can reach Cheltenham police at 215-885-1600, ext. 499, or leave an anonymous tip at ext. 777, and county detectives can be reached at 610-278-3368, according to CBS Philadelphia and 6abc.

Compiled by True News from reporting by CBS Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer, FOX 29 Philadelphia and 6abc Action News. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/355