BROOKHAVEN — The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department isinvestigating an early morning shooting that claimed the life ofAirport Pik & Pak owner John Deere during an armed robbery ofthe convenience store on old Highway 51.

Sheriff Wiley Calcote said authorities believe the shootinghappened between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. shortly after Deere, 55,arrived to start the business day. Calcote said it was Deere’sroutine to sweep the store parking lot before opening.

“It’s likely he just started doing that and they came in on himthen,” Calcote said.

Deere’s body was found in the store parking lot after thesheriff’s department received a 911 call around 5 a.m., Calcotesaid. Deere was shot three times, twice in the back and once in theneck.

The store’s cash box was missing, but nothing else appeared tohave been taken, Calcote said.

Calcote said authorities are looking for one and possibly twosuspects in the shooting. He did not have a description of thesuspects and was unable to say what type of gun was used.

“We have several leads we’re going on, but nothing definite,”said Calcote, citing efforts to contact people who routinely stopor pass by the store in the morning.

A large area around the store was sectioned off Friday morningas authorities continued their investigation. Representatives fromthe Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Criminal Investigation Bureau werealso present.

“There could be a lot of evidence there,” Calcote said.

Calcote encouraged anyone with information about the shooting tocontact Crime Stoppers at 823-0150. The sheriff said a cash awardis available for tips that lead to an arrest.

“We need people to call us if they have any information,”Calcote said. “We need to talk to them.”

Shirley Deere said she and her husband have owned the store forover eight years.

“Everybody was treated as family and always treated us kind,”Mrs. Deere said.

Shirley Deere said she knew of no reason that would haveprompted the shooting. She mentioned some minor incidents in thepast, but nothing major.

“We’ve had mischievous things done over the years,” Deere said,alluding to letters being taken off display signs or soft drinkstaken from a machine.

Mrs. Deere was awaiting word from sheriff’s department officialsregarding the status of their investigation and what conclusionsthey had reached.

“I just hope they find who did it,” Deere said.