In the fall of 2018, the life of Vickie Lee Jones, a 67-year-old Black woman, was tragically cut short in what appeared to be a senseless act of violence. On the afternoon of October 24, Jones was at a Kroger grocery store in the Louisville suburb of Jeffersontown when she was shot and killed in the parking lot. She died from multiple gunshot wounds in a tragedy that also claimed the life of another shopper, Maurice Stallard, who was shot inside the store.
Family and friends remembered
Vickie as a sweet, compassionate, and kind-hearted Christian woman who wouldn't hurt a fly. A retiree from the VA Medical Center, she was a devout member of the Church of the Living God, Temple #45. Her nephew described her as the 'salt of the earth' and a loving presence in her family. The news of her sudden and violent death sent shockwaves through her community, leaving her loved ones to grapple with an unbearable loss just weeks after they had buried her brother.
The suspect in the shooting was identified as Gregory Alan Bush, who was 51 at the time of the incident. Reports indicated that just before the shooting, Bush had unsuccessfully attempted to enter a predominantly Black church nearby. Bush was arrested and faced two counts of murder and ten counts of wanton endangerment. The case was also pursued at the federal level with hate crime charges being filed against him.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the legal process began for Gregory Bush. After initially being deemed incompetent, he later underwent treatment and was found competent to stand trial for the murders. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The families of both Vickie Lee Jones and Maurice Stallard filed lawsuits against the Kroger company and Bush, seeking accountability for the immense pain and suffering caused by the tragic events of that day.
