ELYRIA — A gas station clerk was executed during a robbery early Saturday, and her alleged killer took two small children hostage in an attic several hours later.

Jackson

Vincent W. Jackson Jr., 27, of Chicago, was identified on security camera footage as the gunman who killed Qiana Walton, 27, of Lorain, about 12:35 a.m. at Gas USA on 824 Middle Ave., Elyria police Lt. Andy Eichenlaub said.

He said a surveillance tape shows Jackson demanding money as the store was closing for the night.

After she cooperated, Jackson shot her once in the head with a handgun, Eichenlaub said.

“The tapes are pretty convincing,” he said.

Jackson surrendered to police almost 12 hours later in the 1000 block of West Ave., where he had holed up in an attic bedroom with his sister’s children, ages 4 years and 4 months old, according to police.

Jackson, who police said had been staying with family for about two weeks, was charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery. He was being held at the city jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

The standoff on West Avenue started about 7:30 a.m., with SWAT officers surrounding the home, Eichenlaub said.

Carl Thompson, who lives around the corner on 11th Street, said his wife woke him when heavily armed police charged through his yard and took up positions outside the back of Jackson’s hideout.

“They came running by my windows. We saw them circle around the back of the house,” Thompson said. “They were being very careful, staying close to the wall and keeping an eye on that attic.”

Jackson could be heard inside, threatening in a normal speaking voice that he would shoot the children and police, Thompson said.

Elyria police cordoned a two-block area between the Ninth Street Alley, Eleventh Street, West Avenue and Middle Avenue.

Eichenlaub said Jackson’s sister and about five or six children were evacuated from the first floor of the home. Hostage negotiators convinced Jackson to let the 4-year-old leave, and he surrendered without a fight just before noon.

Neither of the small children had been tied up or manhandled, Eichenlaub said. Instead, Jackson told them they couldn’t leave or talk to police, he said.

Thompson said he tried to calm Jackson’s sister.

“She was saying he had done her wrong before, stolen her car,” he said. “She said she didn’t really trust him.”

Police spread out over the three blocks between the gas station and Jackson’s home, looking for the stolen cash, murder weapon and clothes he allegedly wore during the slaying.

Eichenlaub said the handgun, which he declined to describe while the investigation is ongoing, was found Saturday afternoon close to Gas USA. The money — the amount was not known — had yet to turn up late Saturday.

A written statement from police later in the day said Jackson is related to an employee at Gas USA, but there’s no indication he knew Walton.

The gas station reopened Saturday afternoon, but workers there refused to say anything about Walton’s death. They also would not comment on why the Gas USA logos had been painted over on the outside of the store and pump overhang during the day.

Kim Washington, who lives on Middle Avenue and frequently shops at the gas station, said Walton hadn’t worked there long. The clerk was very bright, polite and well-spoken, she said.

She also said the shooting and other gang- and drug-related problems near her home have her terrified.

“I’m afraid to even sit on my porch,” Washington said. “People from Cleveland, Chicago — they come here, and before you know it, you don’t have a neighborhood, you have a ’hood.”

Gas USA is the same station that suffered a 300-or-so-gallon fuel leak May 29 and 30, shutting down a five-block area because firefighters feared the gas fumes could explode.

Station owner John Harb said last week that he had lowered the price of regular unleaded gas to $3.69 per gallon to woo back customers after the leak.

Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.

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