Two Killed In Shooting At Gulfport AT&T Store, Suspect Charged With Murder

A Monday morning shooting inside an AT&T store at Crossroads Mall in Gulfport left an employee and a customer dead, and a 71 year old Harrison County man is now facing two counts of first degree murder.

The shooting happened at approximately 11:14 a.m. Monday, September 7, inside the AT&T store on Crossroads Parkway. Authorities identified the victims as 31 year old Shane Basquill of Kiln and 78 year old Mary Anne Oberlies of Gulfport. Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer confirmed that Basquill was an employee of the store and Oberlies was a customer. Both victims died at the scene. Gulfport Police identified the suspect as 71 year old Samuel Jerome Andrews of Harrison County. Police say Andrews entered the business and opened fire while three other people were also inside the store.

Witness information provided to WLOX offers additional details about what allegedly happened immediately before the shooting. One witness reported seeing Andrews pull up near the store, exit his vehicle carrying a shotgun and approach the entrance. According to that witness, Basquill attempted to lock the door before he was shot. Police have confirmed that Andrews entered the store and fired a weapon, but investigators have not yet publicly announced a motive for the killings.

The people remaining inside the store were able to call 911 and provide responding officers with a description of the suspect’s vehicle. Gulfport Police said officers responding to the shooting spotted Andrews’ vehicle leaving the area and conducted a traffic stop. Andrews was taken into custody without incident, and police recovered a firearm. The quick identification of the vehicle allowed officers to take a suspect into custody shortly after the shooting rather than beginning an extended search throughout the Gulfport area.

Andrews was transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center and is being held without bond on two counts of first degree murder. He is also facing one count of shooting into a crowd, with bond on that charge set at $500,000. The charges are allegations, and Andrews is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The shooting triggered a significant law enforcement response around the Crossroads Parkway area Monday morning. Initial reports only confirmed that shots had been fired and that one person had been taken into custody. Authorities later confirmed that two people had been killed before releasing their identities and additional information about the suspect. Images from the scene showed what appeared to be a bullet hole in the front glass of the AT&T store, and shell casings were reportedly visible outside the business.

The deaths of an employee working inside the store and a 78 year old customer who happened to be there at the time have transformed what initially came across emergency channels as a shooting investigation into a double homicide that is drawing attention across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Exactly what led to the shooting remains one of the biggest unanswered questions. Gulfport Police have not publicly released information establishing a motive or explaining whether Andrews knew either of the victims before Monday’s shooting. Investigators are continuing to work to determine the circumstances surrounding the killings and what happened in the moments leading up to the first shot.

The fact that three additional people were reportedly inside the store when the gunfire erupted is also reflected in the additional charge against Andrews. Despite the presence of others inside the business, authorities have not announced any additional shooting victims.

Crossroads Mall and the surrounding Crossroads Parkway commercial district are among Gulfport’s busiest shopping areas, particularly during a holiday weekend. The shooting occurred late Monday morning on Labor Day, when businesses throughout the area would normally expect shoppers and customers throughout the day.

As investigators continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, additional information about the circumstances and possible motive could be released. For now, authorities have confirmed two families are mourning the deaths of 31 year old Shane Basquill and 78 year old Mary Anne Oberlies, while Samuel Jerome Andrews remains jailed on two first degree murder charges and an additional charge of shooting into a crowd.

The Rabbit Hole News will update this story as additional confirmed information becomes available.