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Randy Robert Stair via Facebook Victoria Todd Brong Weis supermarket in Wyoming County

EATON TWP. — After months of planning, a Franklin Twp. man barricaded the doors of a Wyoming County supermarket early this morning and slaughtered three coworkers before turning his shotgun on himself.



Randy Robert Stair, 24, fired 59 shots from two pistol-grip 12-gauge shotguns at Weis supermarket, 600 Hunter Highway in Eaton Twp. — a shocking outburst of violence that rattled a rural county of roughly 28,000 people to its core. The massacre lasted only minutes.



“It is obvious this was pre-planned,” District Attorney Jeff Mitchell said.



The three people killed are Terry Lee Sterling, 63, Bridgewater Twp.; Victoria Todd Brong, 26, Factoryville; and Brian Hayes, 47 Springville Twp. State police said five people, including Stair, were working inside the store during the overnight shift. Another worker, who authorities declined to identify, escaped unharmed and called 911.



“The fact that three people can lose their lives by simply going to work underscores how senseless this tragedy is,” Mitchell said.



Stair spotted the worker who escaped, Mitchell said. While she was in close proximity to him, Stair did not shoot her.



“We don’t know the reason why,” Mitchell said.



‘Many, many leads’



Stair arrived at Weis for his overnight shift beginning at 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Within two hours, he blocked the five entrances of the building, some more heavily than others, state police said.



Stair parked his car against an emergency exit, took off his red uniform shirt and grabbed his shotguns. Then he locked the main doors, which he had also blocked with a pallet loaded with full cardboard boxes.



“It looks like he was trying to slow down anybody who might be trying to get in or out,” state police Capt. Jonathan G. Nederostek, commander of Troop P, said.



Then Stair opened fire. He also shot up counters and aisles and did extensive damage to the store. Mitchell said he shot at propane tanks in the store, presumably to ignite them. State police found two propane tanks in his car.



Why he did it, though, remains an open question.



“It’s an ongoing investigation we‘re following up many, many leads,” Nederostek said. “We’re looking at everything from social media to witness interviews to neighborhood interviews. We’re looking at every angle we have.”



The investigators have a lot to consider.



Stair left behind a large amount of social media posts, documents and videos in which he made clear his intentions to commit murder and then take his own life. Moments before the shooting, Stair uploaded a vast trove of documents to Twitter, posting after, “Goodbye humans...I’ll miss you...”



In a journal entry written by Stair on May 29 and posted online, he wrote he hopes this shooting inspires more shootings. He also outlined his plans on how to shoot his victims in chilling detail.

He hoped to record the shooting, but doubted he would have time to and whether it would ever be played in public, he wrote. He also railed against the supermarket and said he hopes the store loses business after the shooting.



“We have his phone via a search warrant and it’s in the hands of our computer crimes experts so they will be downloading it and recovering anything we can off it at this time,” Nederostek said.

Authorities will pore through Stair’s digital presence. It’s expected to take some time, said state police Lt. Gary Vogue, the crime section commander.



It’s not clear who, if anyone, may have known about his plans. However, Mitchell said there is little doubt social media played a role in the tragedy.



“If you see someone or know someone who is making veiled threats online or is acting suspicious, please call the police,” Mitchell said.



‘Deeply saddened’



State police had descended on Stair’s home on Ransom Road later Thursday morning. The home, on a country road in Franklin Twp., has a pool and appeared well-maintained.



Neighbors said he lived there with his parents and a brother, and that the family appeared quiet and normal.



“They’re a very nice family,” said a neighbor who did not want to be identified. “I’m sure their hearts are broken.”



His mother, Lori Ann Stair, did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Stair texted his sleeping mother a suicide note at 12:37 a.m. on Thursday, Mitchell said.



Court records showed Stair had no criminal history in Pennsylvania, and his only interaction with the justice system was a 2011 traffic ticket for disobeying a traffic device.



Stair was a 2014 graduate of Luzerne County Community College with an associates degree in applied science. He previously attended Dallas High School, where he made the honor roll several times.



As a senior, Stair held a “Bowling for Autism” fundraiser in honor of his autistic cousin.



Weis Market issued a statement about the shooting.



“We are deeply saddened by the events of this morning. The safety of our associates, our customers, and our surrounding community is our top priority. As this is an active investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police will take the lead in answering all media questions. We will continue to keep the media informed as appropriate.”



At the press conference, James Daly, regional vice president of Weis, reiterated the company statement. He declined to say how long Stair worked at the store. In Stair’s videos, he claimed to have worked there for about seven years.



By 3:25 p.m. on Thursday, state police began taking down the yellow police tape which cordoned off most of the parking lot for the majority of the day. Peering through the front glass windows, the store appeared eerily normal. The lights burned bright. The aisles, visible through the main door before staff taped up a black tarp to block prying eyes, were undisturbed.



Only one thing seemed out of place: a red pallet, loaded with boxes, in the middle of the floor.

James Halpin, David Singleton, Terrie Morgan-Besecker and Robert L. Baker, staff writers, contributed to this report.



Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter.</s>TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. -- A supermarket employee brought two guns to work overnight Thursday and fatally shot three fellow employees before turning the gun on himself, Pennsylvania state police said.

Troopers from the Tunkhannock barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania didn't immediately explain why 24-year-old Randy Stair, of Dallas, shot the others and himself in a Weis Market shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.

Stair's shift started when the store closed at 11 p.m. Police said he later took two pistol-grip shotguns from a duffel bag and began shooting.

Stair fatally shot Terry Sterling, 63, of South Montrose; Victoria Brong, 26, of Factoryville; and Brian Hayes, 47, of Springville; before firing other random shots inside the store. Stair then shot himself in the head, police said.

One witness escaped unharmed.

Troopers responding to the shooting found four bodies and the witness, who reportedly called Wyoming County 911 dispatchers.

Police stressed that the store was closed to the public when the shooting occurred, and that nobody else was inside at the time. Online records indicate the store is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

"We are deeply saddened by the events of this morning," Weis spokesman Dennis Curtain said in a statement. "The safety of our associates, our customers, and the surrounding community is our top priority."

Authorities called in a bomb squad to investigate the suspect's car in the parking lot but ruled the scene all clear, reports CBS affiliate WYOU.

Troopers planned to release more information at a news conference later Thursday.</s>(AP) – Pennsylvania police say a supermarket employee brought two guns to the store where he shot three fellow workers after the store had closed. Police didn’t immediately explain why they believe 24-year-old Weis Market employee, Randy Stair, shot three others before killing himself early Thursday at the store in Eaton Township.

They say Stair started working when the store closed at 11 p.m. and took two pistol-grip shotguns from a duffel bag he brought to the store. They say he fatally shot three co-workers: 63-year-old Terry Sterling, 26-year-old Victoria Brong, and 47-year-old Brian Hayes. Police say Stair fired random shots inside the store before shooting himself in the head. One witness managed to escape unharmed. Troopers planned to release more information at a news conference.</s>iStock/Thinkstock(SCRANTON, Pa.) — A grocery store employee in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, shot and killed three of his co-workers early Thursday morning before killing himself, the Pennsylvania State Police said.

The gunman, 24-year-old Randy Robert Stair of Dallas, Pennsylvania, had been working inside a Weis Market near Scranton since 11 p.m. Wednesday. At about 12:50 a.m. Thursday, he pulled two shotguns from a duffel bag and fatally shot three co-workers, police said.

Stair “continued firing shots throughout the store,” police said, before fatally shooting himself in the head.

The store was closed to the public at the time of the shooting. One witness escaped the store and called 911, police said, adding that no one else was found inside.

The police said they “believe this is a contained incident,” adding that “the public is not in any danger.”

The victims were identified as 63-year-old Terry Lee Sterling, 26-year-old Victoria Todd Brong and 47-year-old Brian Hayes, police said.

The grocery store chain offered condolences to the families.

“We are deeply saddened at this tragic loss of life,” a spokesman for Weis Markets told ABC News. “Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”

This incident comes three days after a “disgruntled” Florida man returned to a business he was fired from in April, shooting and killing five former coworkers, police said. The gunman in that case also shot and killed himself.</s>TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — The Latest on a murder-suicide shooting at a Pennsylvania supermarket (all times local):

Pennsylvania police say a supermarket employee brought two guns to the store where he shot three fellow workers after the store had closed.

Police didn't immediately explain why they believe 24-year-old Weis Market employee, Randy Stair, shot three others before killing himself early Thursday at the store in Eaton Township.

They say Stair started working when the store closed at 11 p.m. and took two pistol-grip shotguns from a duffel bag he brought to the store.

They say he fatally shot three co-workers: 63-year-old Terry Sterling, 26-year-old Victoria Brong, and 47-year-old Brian Hayes.

Police say Stair fired random shots inside the store before shooting himself in the head. One witness managed to escape unharmed.

State Police say four people are dead in a murder-suicide in a northeast Pennsylvania supermarket.

Troopers responded to a report of someone shooting people inside Weis Market in Eaton Township just before 1 a.m. Thursday.

Troopers found the bodies of three males and two females inside, along with one witness.

Authorities believe one of the males opened fire on the others before turning the gun on himself.

Authorities believe it is a contained incident and the public is not in any danger.</s>A supermarket employee brought two guns to work overnight Thursday, blocked the store’s entrances and exits so no one could flee and fatally shot three fellow employees before turning the weapon on himself, Pennsylvania state police said.</s>Troopers from the Tunkhannock barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania didn't immediately explain why 24-year-old Randy Stair, of Dallas, shot the others and himself in a Weis Market shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday. (Source: Raycom Media)

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. (AP) - A supermarket employee brought two guns to work overnight Thursday, blocked the store's entrances and exits so no one could flee and fatally shot three fellow employees before turning the weapon on himself, Pennsylvania state police said.

State police say it remains unclear why 24-year-old Randy Stair, of Dallas, shot the others and himself in a Weis Market shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.

Stair's shift started when the store closed at 11 p.m. Police said he later took a duffel bag from his car containing two pistol-grip shotguns, brought them into the store and started firing.

At a news conference outside the store in Eaton Township, northwest of Scranton, troopers said Stair spent the first 90 minutes of his shift blocking the entrances and exits with pallets and other items before he started shooting. He fired 59 shots before killing himself, they said.

Stair fatally shot Terry Sterling, 63, of South Montrose; Victoria Brong, 26, of Factoryville; and Brian Hayes, 47, of Springville.

One witness managed to escape the rampage and call 911.

Police stressed that the store was closed to the public when the shooting occurred, and only workers were inside. The store's posted hours are from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

"We are deeply saddened by the events of this morning," Weis spokesman Dennis Curtin said in a statement. "The safety of our associates, our customers, and the surrounding community is our top priority."

Investigators were looking at Stair's online activity for clues to his motive, troopers said.

This story has been corrected to show Weis spokesman's last name is 'Curtin,' not 'Curtain.'

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — A supermarket employee brought two guns to work overnight Thursday, blocked the store’s entrances and exits so no one could flee and fatally shot three fellow employees before turning the weapon on himself, Pennsylvania state police said.

State police say it remains unclear why 24-year-old Randy Stair, of Dallas, shot the others and himself in a Weis Market shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.

Stair’s shift started when the store closed at 11 p.m. Police said he later took a duffel bag from his car containing two pistol-grip shotguns, brought them into the store and started firing.

At a news conference outside the store in Eaton Township, northwest of Scranton, troopers said Stair spent the first 90 minutes of his shift blocking the entrances and exits with pallets and other items before he started shooting. He fired 59 shots before killing himself, they said.

Stair fatally shot Terry Sterling, 63, of South Montrose; Victoria Brong, 26, of Factoryville; and Brian Hayes, 47, of Springville.

One witness managed to escape the rampage and call 911.

Police stressed that the store was closed to the public when the shooting occurred, and only workers were inside. The store’s posted hours are from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“We are deeply saddened by the events of this morning,” Weis spokesman Dennis Curtin said in a statement. “The safety of our associates, our customers, and the surrounding community is our top priority.”

Investigators were looking at Stair’s online activity for clues to his motive, troopers said.</s>EATON TOWNSHIP, WYOMING COUNTY, Pa.-- State police say four people are dead after a murder-suicide at a Weis Markets' store.

According to WNEP, police say they received a call just before 1 a.m. Thursday that a man was shooting at people inside the Weis Markets location along Hunter Highway.

The gunman killed two women and a man before turning the gun on himself.

According to troopers, all three of the victims were employees and their names have not been released.</s>A supermarket employee brought two guns to work overnight Thursday, blocked the store's entrances and exits so no one could flee and fatally shot three fellow employees before turning the weapon on himself, Pennsylvania state police said. State police say it remains unclear why 24-year-old Randy Stair, of Dallas, shot the others and himself in a Weis Market shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.

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A supermarket employee shoots and kills three fellow employees, then kills himself, in a closed Weis Markets store in Eaton Township in Northeastern Pennsylvania. One person escapes unharmed.