65-year-old woman killed in apparent attempted robbery at Haygood Shopping Center fuel station in Virginia Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - One person was found dead at a Harris Teeter gas station in Virginia Beach.

This happened at the Haygood Shopping Center at the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Haygood Road. Police initially said they were responding to a "firearm violation" in the area, but it was later upgraded to a homicide investigation.

Monday around 5:13 p.m., police responded to the gas station for reports of a person with gunshot wounds. When they arrived on scene, they found someone who had been shot.

Despite receiving medical attention from officers and EMS personnel, the person was pronounced dead on scene.

News 3 sent a crew to the scene; one of our photojounalists say they saw a person lying on the ground near one of the gas pumps.

We spoke with staff and managers at stores in the shopping center. One store manager told News 3 reporter Zak Dahlheimer they've been working at the shopping center for about a decade and have never seen anything like this happen in the area.

They say this is usually a pretty safe spot in Virginia Beach.

Police were looking for a Grey Lexus ES-300 with yellow license plates, occupied by two males in connection with this homicide.

After a preliminary investigation, police say this incident appears to be an attempted robbery. The victim has been identified as 65-year-old Annie May Smith of Virginia Beach.

The vehicle police were looking for was located and recovered; it was determined to have been reported stolen earlier in a neighboring jurisdiction.

Police did not say whether they have found the suspects.

This remains an active investigation and anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to call the Virginia Beach Police Department Detective Bureau or Crime Line at 1-888 LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887).

Stay with News 3 for updates.