An armed robbery suspect found dead at the U.S. 61 South-Interstate 20 interchange Friday morning died from a single gunshot wound, Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said Friday evening. Authorities had been trying to determine whether the man was shot, or had jumped or fallen from the overpass, which appears about 60 feet high.

Meanwhile, Vicksburg police continued to search for a second man in Thursday night’s armed robbery and assault at the La Chiquita grocery, 4002 U.S. 61 South.

“We have identified the deceased, and we’re trying to contact the next of kin,” Vicksburg police Lt. Bobby Stewart said late Friday. “We’ve identified the second person of interest.”

He declined to release names, citing notification of the dead suspect’s family and risk of compromising the search for the second suspect.

The two men, both described as Hispanic, ended up at the overpass — about four miles from the store — after leaving the grocery, where they took CDs, jewelry and an undisclosed amount of money, along with a wallet and cash from a patron, police said. Both were wearing ski masks, police said, and one was carrying an SKS assault rifle, the other a handgun. The rifle was found in the woods near the overpass, Stewart said.

During the robbery, called in to police about 8:41, a woman clerk was hit with the rifle. She was questioned by police after being treated and released from River Region Medical Center.

The owner of the grocery, who also owns El Ranchero Restaurant next door, was notified by the clerk and chased the two men, who were in a 1993 Toyota Corolla with Hinds County plates, north to the overpass. The suspects wrecked and a shootout ensued, but the grocery owner wasn’t hurt. He was questioned and released by police Thursday evening.

The dead suspect, discovered about 6:15 Friday morning by a passerby, appears to have been about 24 years old, Huskey said. An autopsy was performed Friday at the Mississippi Crime Lab in Jackson. Physical evidence at the grocery has linked him to the robbery, police said.

Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com