Furniture store shooting followed slapping incident between suspects

An apparent ongoing conflict escalated over two days until police said one man shot and injured another man at a furniture store in Springettsbury Township.

Both men face charges for their parts in the dispute, including an attempted homicide count against Kirk Olivier, the alleged shooter. The other man, Michael Whitt, went to a hospital with multiple injuries.

Olivier allegedly opened fire with a pistol when he saw Whitt walk into Price Busters Discount Furniture, 1900 Industrial Highway, shortly after 11 a.m. Friday, Springettsbury Township Police said in charging documents.

Both men fled the area before officers arrived.

The incident appeared to build from a confrontation between the two in York City the night before.

Olivier, 20, was shopping at the Smoke and Chill, 100 E. Princess St., when Whitt walked into the store around 7:20 p.m. Thursday, according to police in charging documents.

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Whitt spotted Olivier, walked up to him, and slapped his face hard enough to knock him back, police said.

Olivier scrambled to the back of the store, and Whitt followed him and pulled a handgun from the waistband of his pants, police said. Olivier escaped, and Whitt tucked the gun back in his pants and left, the charging documents say.

Nearly 16 hours later, Olivier was at Price Busters when Whitt walked in, police said while citing security camera footage.

When Olivier saw Whitt, police said, he pulled a gun this time and started shooting at Whitt.

The 23-year-old Whitt ran and fled the area, charging documents show.

Olivier also apparently fled.

Investigators later found Whitt at a local hospital where he was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds, according to charging documents. Police said Whitt stated he was shot at the furniture store.

Police also noted Whitt wasn’t seen with a gun at the store during Friday’s incident.

Charges were filed in both incidents Friday, court documents show.

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Olivier, of Columbia, Lancaster County, faces a felony count of attempted homicide and two counts of aggravated assault.

Whitt, of York City, faces misdemeanor counts of simple assault and illegal possession of a firearm from the incident at Smoke and Chill.

Neither man has been arrested yet, apparently. Warrants for them have been issued, police said.

— Reach Aimee Ambrose at aambrose@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @aimee_TYD.