Police in Star are still looking for the gunman who shot and killed a 53-year-old gas station clerk.
Star Police say they have multiple suspects at this time. They say a suspect shot 53-year-old Laura Whitman over the weekend at the Quick Chek store in Star.
Officials say events like this are not a common occurrence and it's left the community shook up.
"She's a really hard worker, said Kelsey Hill, who works with Whitman. "She did her job, she was real respected around the community."
"Whenever someone came in this door, she didn't meet no strangers, she's talking, she's laughing, she's playing around," said Tiffany Dunn, who also works with Whitman.
The incident happened on June 25 just after 10 p.m. The suspect walked in and demanded money.
"He brandished a gun, climbed over the counter, had a little talk with the cashier hand shots were fired and she was fatally wounded," said Star Police Chief David Kime.
It was Whitman's first shift at the Quick Chek in Star after being transferred from her normal location in Candor.
Police say the suspect took money and then took off on foot.
"Just know we are doing everything we can to find this person or persons and we will do everything we can to bring them to justice," Chief Kime said.
We're told violence incidents like this are something folks in the town of Star rarely see.
"We have our normal drugs and other things that we deal with, but this type of violence is no, very unusual for this area," Chief Kime said. "Matter of fact, I don't remember the last time we had a murder in Star."
"It's scary you know, especially in little towns that we have here," Dunn said. "We don't see much of anything like that, and we do want answers, it's confusing a little bit, why would this happen?"
Star is a tight-knit community, so a lot of people are feeling heartbroken after hearing the news of Whitman's passing.
Her coworkers say management has had more police officers patrol the Quick Chek at night following the fatal shooting.
"This is not a time for us to be going against each other now," Dunn said. "We need to be together on this because she was loved by everybody."
"Stay safe, definitely pray for our community and each other," Hill said.
"Paranoia at this day in time is necessary, be careful, be alert, don't just walk out of your own house, stop and look, when you come out of the store, have your keys ready," Chief Kime adds.
Star Police have not released a motive in this case and they say it's still an ongoing investigation.
The Quick Chek is closed until further notice.
If you have any information, you're asked to call police.
If you'd like to donate to help fund Whitman's memorial, click HERE for the GoFundMe site.