A UPS company truck driver was fatally shot and run over in a Walmart parking lot in Ithaca this morning.
The 52 year old truck driver, William Schumacher, had started seasonal work with  UPS only four weeks ago, hauling packages between processing hubs.
Truck Driver Shot While Leaving Walmart Store
Schumacher had stopped at an Ithaca Walmart during an overnight shift to buy cigarettes, according to witnesses.
Police say the shooting reportedly took place in the parking lot outside of an #Ithaca Wal-Mart. @wicztv pic.twitter.com/7m2giJ5bkM
— Molly Darrow (@MollyDarrowWICZ) December 8, 2016
Around 1 a.m. as he made his way back to his truck, a man in a black pickup truck shot him and ran over his body about 200 feet from the store. Said an eyewitness, “A guy was sitting in his truck, and all I heard was a gunshot and looked up, saw the guy fall, and then the guy in the truck backed up, pulled out, ran him over and took off.”
Suspected Shooter Surrenders Peacefully After Standoff
The man in the pickup, who would later be identified as Justin Barkley, 38, then fled from the parking lot onto Route 13.
Police attempted to make a felony stop on Barkley’s vehicle, but he opened fire on the officers. Police officers did not return fire and were not injured by the gunfire. After a short chase, Barkley barricaded himself in his home.
After a five hour standoff, police made contact with Barkley via robot and were able to convince him to surrender peacefully.
Investigators Working To Determine Motive
Barkley was charged with second degree homicide. He is being held without bail in the Tompkins County Jail.
Police are working to determine the motive for the murder. Investigators say that Barkley had no prior connection to Schumacher.
One witness claimed that it seemed as if Barkley was waiting in his vehicle for Schumacher.
Schumacher is white and was wearing his UPS uniform when he was killed.
Oddly smiley face of suspect in shooting death of @UPS driver in @Walmart in #Ithaca Justin Barkley, 38, of Dryden pic.twitter.com/QMluJM5hKD
— Michael Benny (@MichaelBenny) December 8, 2016
Sources:
The Cornell Sun
NBC 26
CNY Central