LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas family is searching for answers after a loved one was shot and killed while working inside a northwest valley store Wednesday afternoon.
WATCH | The family of the victim spoke with Channel 13's Shakeria Hawkins:
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said the shooting happened just after 4:30 p.m. at a Five Below store in the Best in the West shopping center near Rainbow Boulevard and Lake Mead Boulevard.
According to investigators, a man entered the business looking for a specific employee. Police said a physical altercation broke out before the suspect pulled out a gun and fired. The employee died at the scene.
Now, the victim's family is speaking publicly about the devastating loss.
"Like even when I first got the call, I was just like, 'OK, OK, well he's gonna be fine,'" said the victim's cousin, Shekiera Wright. "Like what would the other option be? I just didn't even register that he would die."
Wright said the family spent hours waiting for updates after learning something had happened.
"Just kept asking what was going on. They kept saying they were working on him," she said. "They couldn't tell us anything, and that went on for hours and hours and hours."
Police have not publicly identified a motive, but family members believe the confrontation stemmed from a personal dispute involving text messages.
"He came into the store and asked for Brandan by name and then he found him," Wright said. "They began to fight and then the guy shot him."
Police said the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived and remains outstanding.
WATCH | Lt. Robert Price with LVMPD holds a press briefing after the shooting:
For the family, the loss has been difficult to comprehend.
"I think that's the most insane thing ever," Wright said. "Like you would never think that that would be something that would happen to you when you're just trying to do what you do every day."
The shooting has also renewed concerns about workplace violence and the growing number of incidents involving employees being harmed while on the job.
Wright said no family should have to experience what hers is going through.
"The violence has to stop," she said. "You can have a conversation with someone if there's a problem, you can talk it out, but there's no need to bring a gun, pull out a gun and shoot a gun. These are people's lives that are being affected. Our lives are never going to be the same."
She also questioned how someone was able to enter the store, locate an employee and carry out the attack.
"Lots of people need to answer to this because there should've been something put in place for this not to happen," Wright said. "It shouldn't have been that easy."
The family said they are now focused on grieving their loved one while hoping the person responsible is brought to justice.
Metro said the investigation remains active, and detectives continue working to identify and locate the suspect.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section at 702-828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.
