An elderly man was shot and killed allegedly by people he met with to sell them a dog.
Lonnie Alford Ray, a 76-year-old dog breeder, was killed outside a KFC restaurant near Bishopville in Lee County, North Carolina, US, after the arranged meeting turned violent.
Mr Ray was shot multiple times while bullets also hit the restaurant, located on Sumter Highway, Sheriff Daniel Simon said.
The victim, an army veteran, was reportedly going to sell the alleged murderers a French bulldog for $2,500 (£2,070).
As soon as he approached the suspects, one of them reportedly grabbed the dog and immediately started shooting at him before fleeing.
The transaction was arranged online, and the victim had reportedly spoken with the suspects over the phone prior to the meeting.
Mr Ray had gone to the meeting with another person with him, WBTM reported.
The sheriff said: "Here he met the gentlemen. He had a passenger in the vehicle with him.
"When they went to do the exchange for the dog, the guy snatched the leash from him and pulled out a handgun and started firing."
Three or four people were in the suspect's car at the time, it was reported.
When police arrived, they found the victim on the ground with multiple gun wounds. He was rushed to the hospital but sadly was pronounced dead.
The person who was with Mr Ray at the time, and hasn't been identified, was not injured, it was reported.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. However, no arrests in relation to it have been made as of yet.
The sheriff added: "Talked to the family. He won the battle with cancer. He was in the military [and has] been in wars.
"For him to lose his life over something senseless of trying to do an exchange or sell a French Bulldog and for someone to take his life, that’s heartless.”
Mr Ray's daughter, Karen Hanna, broke down in tears while speaking to NBC News. "Why?" she asked. "Why the Almighty God?"
Though investigators are hoping surveillance footage will lead them to Ray's shooter, the sheriff said "it's really frustrating" that witnesses are refusing to talk to police.
"That could be your family member next," he told NBC News. "You never know when you'll want someone to speak up for someone in your family if someone do harm to... like Mr Ray he lost his life."
The sheriff praised Mr Ray as "probably the best breeder in South Carolina".
Karen pleaded for the shooter, who was still at large Thursday, to "do the right thing" and surrender to police, as well as keep the dog safe.
This was the second killing that occurred at the specific location, police said, and the department is considering installing cameras to deter more crimes from happening in the future.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (+1)888-CrimeSC.
