'It's a shock': Concerned customers speak out after fatal Brockton Dollar Tree shooting

BROCKTON ― The aftermath of Tuesday's grim scene at the Dollar Tree store on North Montello Street where a former employee allegedly shot two people, killing one and injuring the other, has left neighbors concerned for their safety.

Meanwhile, as the day started on Wednesday, residents and long-time customers of the Dollar Tree, stopped by.

"We've been coming here everyday since the store opened to get a copy of the paper," Fred and Marilyn Mehl of Locust Street said.

"I just can't get over it," Fred said. "It's a shock."

Other neighbors, like Maureen Dowd, who lives on the southside, said she has been coming to this location of the Dollar Tree for a long time, despite multiple city locations of the store.

"We've never had trouble like this before here," she said.

Dowd said she knew the shooting happened and was curious to know whether the store would be open Wednesday. "It's scary to think about."

Used medical gloves could be seen strewn across the empty parking lot and a splatter of blood was seen on the sidewalk nearing the entrance of the Dollar Tree.

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One resident, Stephanie Brown, from Avon, said, "I come all the time to this Dollar Tree."

"I was going to come yesterday, because my husband told me about the shooting and I was curious," she said. "But, I decided not to."

"This world is something else," she continued. "We always have to be careful no matter where we're going, even if it's a place like church."

On Wednesday, the Dollar Tree was closed. Due to the Brockton and State Police's ongoing investigation into the incident, Mayor Robert Sullivan could not comment on Tuesday's shooting.

Kristin Tetreault, a representative for Dollar Tree, said, "We are actively assisting law enforcement with their investigation. Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrible crime."

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What happened?

At approximately 1:27 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, Brockton Police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots heard inside the Dollar Tree at 999 North Montello St., a written statement from the DA's office said.

Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel located two men suffering from gunshot wounds.

"Both were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment, and one man died as a result of his injuries," the statement said.

The victim who died was identified as Dongbin Pyon, 38, of East Boston.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the suspect, Luis Soto, 32, had not been arrested. Police say there is probable cause to arrest him for murder.

"After the shooting, Soto fled the store scene and remains at large," the statement said. "His car has been located. He is to be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on Soto or the Brockton shooting should contact Massachusetts State Police or Brockton Police."

Staff writer Namu Sampath can be reached at nsampath@enterprisenews.com, or you can follow her on Twitter @namusampath. Thank you, subscribers. You make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Brockton Enterprise.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Dollar Tree shooting: customers speak out, suspect at large