Woman shot in Stop & Shop parking lot

NORWALK, Conn. (WTNH) -- In Norwalk, the search is on for a man who shot a woman in the parking lot of a Stop & Shop supermarket.

A press conference regarding the shooting took place at 10:30 a.m. today at 1 Monroe Street in Norwalk.

The brazen crime happened in broad daylight and it has folks in the area shaken up.

A man in a hoodie stalked a Greenwich woman as she left the Stop & Shop on Route One.

He followed her all the way to the far end of the parking lot where she got into her Mercedes. Then he pulled out a gun.

Police say they are not sure if he was trying to rob her or steal the car, but they struggled and he shot the 50-year-old woman in the stomach.

"It's terrifying, but like I said before I am not surprised," said Dana Dicerto, of Norwalk. "It's scary, but it's random and it happens everywhere."

Police brought in four K9 teams and tracked the suspect across the shopping plaza and into a housing complex before losing his scent. They put the complex on lockdown as detectives worked the scene, and they did find some evidence that might help lead them to the gunman.

"Unusual is not the word. It's an incredible crime for someone to do," said Chief Thomas Kulhawik, Norwalk PD. "Regardless of the time of day, it's an innocent person that was just walking out of the store. Hopefully she'll be ok, that's our number one priority."

The Norwalk Police Chief called it mind boggling that someone would rush up on the Mercedes SUV and shoot the woman over an attempted robbery. And the Chief says it's one thing to snatch a purse or rob someone, but to shoot them the violence escalated way too quickly.

People in the neighborhood are on edge.

"I'm not shocked because you hear about so many shootings, especially in towns close to here that are going on," said Samantha Yurman, of Norwalk.

"It makes you wonder what you would do in that situation, as a woman would I struggle, I don't know," said Lauren Mollica, of Norwalk.

Police say there are a few ways you can protect yourself: park as close to the store as possible, get your keys out ahead of time, and be aware of who is around you.

"I am always walking around texting, not paying much attention," said Yurman, "and you never know who is watching you or following you. It's a scary thing."