Oakley Target shooting victim identified as man, 24, shot while shopping with his family as cops hunt for suspect

THE VICTIM of a shooting that erupted outside of a Target store has been identified.

Alias Phillips, 24, was shot in front of the Oakley, Cincinnati, store doors on Thursday afternoon.

Police said that the shooter shot only Phillips, and believe that he was the gunman’s intended target.

Alias’s father, Tracy, said that his son was in town visiting his mom and sister at the time.

Tracy told : “I don’t know how they’re going to portray it but my son was an innocent person.

“He was in the Target store shopping and this man took it upon himself to kill my son in the Target parking lot.

“To get out of his car and chase my kids down with a gun and then kill my son.

“He took my son’s life and I think he should be put away for the rest of his life when he gets caught.”

Cops are still hunting for the suspect who has not yet been identified.

Footage from the scene showed a sea of police officers storming the department store with their guns drawn.

Employees and shoppers sheltered inside the store in the wake of the shooting and SWAT officers entered the store to make sure it was safe, the police chief said. 

Cincinnati mayor Aftab Puerval thanked CPD officials for their swift response.

“I am extremely thankful to our Cincinnati Police for their swift response, their immediate attention to ensuring the safety of all others at the scene and their dedication to searching for the person responsible.”

He added: “While today’s shooting was not ultimately an active shooter situation, that does not diminish the unacceptable fact that there is far too much gun violence in our city and across the country.

“We cannot become numb to this senseless loss of life.”

Officials with the Cincinnati police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the incident.