For the first time since a shooting left three people dead at a grocery store in eastern Carolina 16 years ago, lawmen have submitted DNA evidence to be analyzed, in hopes of catching the person responsible.

It was June 6, 1993 when a man, already inside the Be-Lo Grocery Store in Windsor in Bertie County, used grey duct tape to bind six victims. He stacked the victims into three piles. He then shot into the piles, killing three people. The fourth victim was shot, the fifth victim was stabbed; both were left for dead. The sixth victim was not hurt.

That sixth victim is talking with WITN about that horrific night. Jasper Hardy was one of six people on the cleaning crew that night. Hardy says, "He duct taped us and said he wasn't going to hurt nobody. He said if ya'll cooperate everything will be alright. After he shot he came and talked to me and told me today's my lucky day. He told me I'm gonna let you live big man."

Windsor Police Chief Rodney Hoggard was a corporal with the department back then. Hoggard says he is actively working on the case. In May, DNA samples from Hardy and his brother, who was injured, along with DNA from previously submitted evidence, was sent to the SBI lab in Raleigh for analysis. Hoggard says "We decided to get some of the evidence that had been previously submitted, and this was prior to DNA coming to the forefront, and we just decided to take a shot at it. We just can't give up on it."

Hardy says he does hold out hope the suspect will be caught.

There is a $30,000 reward in the case.

Anyone with information can call the Windsor Police at 252-794-3111 or the SBI at 800-334-3000.