By Joe Johnson
A clerk was shot and killed early Friday at a Watkinsville convenience store, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
The deadly shooting occurred between 1 and 2 a.m. at the RaceTrac located on U.S. Highway 441 at Hog Mountain Road.
Sheriff James Hale said it was not immediately known if robbery was the motive.
The call originated from a patron who
discovered the victim Lying on the floor behind the counter.
Deputies arrived at 1:42 a.m. and began administering CPR on the victim but were unable to revive him. Medical personnel arrived shortly thereafter and determined that the victim was deceased.
The victim was identified by the sheriff’s office as 23-year-old Elijah Wood of Watkinsville He was employed as a clerk with RaceTrac.
The suspect was dressed in all black clothing and armed with a hand gun who reportedly walked directly to the counter and shot the clerk.
”This is a tough day for us,” the sheriff said.”We know Elijah and his family well, in a good way. We didn’t have to look up his father’s address because we already knew where he lives. The family has numerous friends here. We urge anyone with information about this incident to contact us.”
a Gofundme account has been established to assist Wood’s family with burial expenses at
An image was released by the sheriff’s office of a white male who was at the store at about the time of the killing.
“We’d like to identify and speak to him as a potential witness to the crime,” Hale said.
The sheriff's office asked for anyone with information about this case to contact Investigator Zach Eaton at zeaton@oconeesheriff.org or 706-769-3945.