Drug bust goes bad and results in law officer and suspect shot and wounded at New Jersey Walmart

Occurred April 22, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Paramus Walmart (source)

An undercover police officer, posing as a drug dealer in a sting, was with two other individuals in a car in a busy Walmart parking lot in Paramus, New Jersey, to make a $400 marijuana deal.  That's when a third individual walked up to the car and said, "Give me everything you have," then fired on the officer, wounding him in the leg and hip.

Seven backup officers quickly sped into the parking lot and fired on the suspect, hitting him in the arm and leg.

Both men were hospitalized and are expected to survive. Luckily, no one else was injured.

From an article:

According to authorities, at least five shots were fired in the shopping plaza, which includes a Marshalls and a WalMart, after 1 p.m. Tuesday, the report said.  

The officer was in his car making a marijuana purchase from one of the suspects as part of the sting drug operation, Bergen County Prosecutor Joh Molinelli said in a press conference about the shooting, NorthJersey.com reported. A second man approached him with a gun in what police believe was going to be a robbery, the report said. 

Although undercover cops are taught to give in to such demands, Molinelli said the alleged gunman, Rafael Angel Vasquez Pina, 25, of Passaic, got "aggressive," causing the officer to take his gun, the report said. 

During the subsequent scuffle between the suspects and officer, Pina was shot in the left arm and left leg, the report said. He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the report said. 

Pina faces an attempted murder charge, the report said. His two alleged accomplices, Melvin Guzman, 19, of Garfield and Patrick Morel, 21, of Clifton, face first-degree charges related to the shooting, the report said. 

Molinelli said the shootout came out of what was supposed to be a relatively small $400 drug deal, the report said. As is typical in undercover investigations, the Paramus officer was not carrying a gun or badge, and was not wearing a bullet-proof vest, the report said.

Additional details HERE.

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Drug offender found with loaded gun at Colorado Walmart store

Occurred June 28, 2014.


A man who was suspected of shoplifting was approached by police outside of a Walmart store in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  He was found to possess a loaded gun a large quantity of meth.

From an article:

A 26-year-old man was arrested Saturday outside a Walmart store for allegedly possessing "a large quantity of methamphetamine' and a loaded gun, police said. 

Nelson Franceschi was arrested shortly before midnight outside a Walmart at 3201 E. Platte Ave., near North Circle Drive. An officer at the store suspected Franceschi was shoplifting and was possibly armed, so the officer called for backup. 

More officers arrived and arrested Franceschi on several felony allegations, including a special-offense drug charge.

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Three armed robbers with gun arrested in Massachusetts Walmart

Occurred June 29, 2014.


Two armed robbers used a gun to rob a Radio Shack, in Lynn, Massachusetts.  After they fled, police tracked a stolen cell phone to find them in the local Walmart, where they were captured, along with a getaway driver, and their gun was confiscated.

From an article and news video:

Officials told NewsCenter 5 that two men, one with a gun, stole $10,000 worth of electronics, including a clerk's iPhone, from a Radio Shack on State Street at 12:39 p.m. A female getaway car driver then took them to Walmart, where they all changed into clothes on display, according to police. 

Lynn police pursued the suspects and were able to track the stolen phone to the Walmart on the Lynnway. 

Police were able to identify the suspects on surveillance cameras and made the arrest inside the garden section at Walmart, where the suspects were "acting casual." A weapon was recovered, police said.

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Off-duty officer shoots wanted man in Alabama Walmart parking lot

Occurred April 15, 2014.

Scene of Huntsville Walmart shooting (source)

(UPDATED -- See below)
An off-duty Sheriff's deputy was in a Walmart store in Huntsville, Alabama, when he observed a wanted felon with warrants against him.  He confronted the man, David Horton, and Horton ran into the busy parking lot.  The deputy gave chase, then shot Horton in the buttocks.

The deputy claimed the shooting was an accident, but witnesses claim he squared up and fired intentionally.

From an article:

Authorities reported a Morgan County deputy discharged his weapon at a south Huntsville Walmart while trying to apprehend a suspect who had felony warrants.

The shooting happened at the Walmart located on South Memorial Parkway near Hobbs Road at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Huntsville police said the suspect was shot in the buttock near the Garden Center.

Relatives identified the man shot by the deputy as David Horton. He was taken to Huntsville Hospital to be treated for his injuries and then later transferred to the custody of the Morgan County Sheriff's Department. 

Witnesses said the deputy intentionally fired his weapon, but the deputy claimed otherwise. The deputy said he was trying to apprehend Horton, known to have violated parole, when his gun accidentally went off.

Investigators said they are hoping to get some clarity through surveillance footage, which gave them a bird's eye view of the shooting. Huntsville police said they are handling the case and are reviewing the video. They spent the day interviewing witnesses who saw what happened.

One witness said he saw the off-duty deputy aim and shoot. The deputy claims his gun fired accidentally.

No bystanders were injured in the shooting. Alberta Conley, a Madison County resident, was asked if she felt safe shopping there after the allegedly accidental shooting. "I am not afraid whenever we come here, but we always like to be aware of what's going," she said. "Things like this can happen anywhere.

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UPDATE (4/18/14):  The off-duty officer has now been arrested for the shooting and has resigned.

UPDATE (5/8/14):  A lawyer for David Horton announced that Horton is seeking damages.  From an article:

"This incident should have never happened," [Lawyer Tommy] James said. "While my client did have an outstanding probation violation pickup order, that in no way justified an off-duty deputy not in uniform, from another county, to shoot my client at a crowded Walmart."

"The law in Alabama clearly states that a law enforcement officer may only use deadly force if he or others are in imminent threat of harm. That was obviously not the case here as my client was grabbed by the deputy, who did not identify himself or show his badge, and was then shot in the back while trying to get away. The use of deadly force was clearly unjustified in this case and as a result my client was injured and many bystanders, including children, were put at severe risk."

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Armed robbery at South Carolina Walmart

Occurred April 10, 2014.

Suspect during robbery at Columbia Walmart (source)

A man was at a checkout in a Walmart store in Columbia, South Carolina, when he pulled out a handgun and threatened the clerk.  He then fled with cash from the cash register.

Luckily, no one was injured.

From an article, with images of the suspect:

The man is accused of pointing a gun at a female clerk at a Walmart store located at 7520 Garners Ferry Road shortly before 11 p.m. on April 10, 2014.

The clerk tells CPD that the armed man acted like he was going to purchase items. As soon as she opened the cash register, the man allegedly threatened her with the gun and stole money.

She screamed during the incident but was not harmed.

The suspect is described as a black male, with a thin beard, possibly between the ages of 35-40-years-old, standing approximately 6'2", and weighing 200 pounds.

He was reportedly last seen wearing a gray hoodie with a Nike 'swoosh' on the front, with dark pants and a red Cincinnati baseball cap.

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Shootout injured 3-year old girl in New Mexico Walmart parking lot

Occurred April 11, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Espanola Walmart (source)

(UPDATED -- See below)

Individuals in two cars, in the parking lot of a Walmart in Espanola, New Mexico, got into a conflict.  Shot were fired from both vehicles.  Stray bullets hit the Walmart store and also injured a 3-year old girl in the leg.

From an article:

A white Nissan Maxima pulled up and someone inside started shooting at the SUV.

At least one person in the explorer fired back and together the people in both cars fired off between five and six rounds.

Police say one of those bullets hit the Walmart window and another hit the three-year-old girl in the leg as she and her family were leaving the store.

She wasn’t badly injured and detectives say the girl’s father didn’t even know she had been hit until they got home.

They say no one else was hurt.

“We feel it’s an isolated incident. It may be gang related. We’re working diligently to apprehend the individuals responsible, said Detective Corporal Solomon Romero.

The girl has been released from the hospital.

Bullets don't know when to stop.

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UPDATE (4/18/14):  Two young men, ages 19 and 20, have been arrested for the shootout and wounding of the little girl.  The shooting was most likely gang-related and the culmination of years of dispute between the young men.  From an article:

Española Police said 20-year-old Mackie Roybal is the man behind the gunshot that injured a three-year-old girl caught in the crossfire. “We’re taking this very seriously and we’re not going to put up with this type of behavior within the City of Española,” said Detective Corporal Solomon Romero of the Española Police Department. 

Romero said Roybal and 19-year-old Dylan Vigil started shooting at each other from their vehicles last week in the Walmart parking lot. The little girl was in a shopping cart, leaving the store with her dad, when she was hit in the leg with a gunshot. 

She’s alright and back at home, but police said things could have been a lot worse. The car police say Vigil was driving that night is riddled with about six bullet holes along the drivers side, including one in the windshield. .... 

Police said Roybal even bragged about the shooting on Facebook, but then later deleted it. He’s charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, shooting at a vehicle, negligent use of a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence. Vigil is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence and negligent use of a deadly weapon.

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Man shot and killed by police in Georgia Walmart parking lot

Occurred April 11, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Woodstock Walmart (source)

(UPDATED - See below)
An officer responded to a suspicious person report, in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Woodstock, Georgia.  A conflict ensued, and the officer shot the suspect, killing him.

From an article:

At 9:15 p.m., officers responded to a call about a suspicious person in the parking lot in front of the Wal-Mart on Highway 92 in Woodstock, at the Trickum Road intersection, said Brittany Duncan, spokeswoman for Woodstock Police.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said when officers responded to the suspicious person, the situation became threatening, causing the officer to draw his weapon.

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UPDATE (9/24/14):   The man who was shot was named Dennis Doty.  The officer, Jarred Jackson, has been cleared of wrong doing.  Further facts from the case in this article:

On the night of April 11, Doty reportedly was confronting a Walmart delivery driver; however, it was not clear as to whether the conflict was about the child abduction ring accusations. When Jackson arrived, Doty sprinted toward him with the same metal object he was attempting to strike the truck with, according to radio traffic recordings and surveillance video contained in the IA file.

As stated by witnesses and noted in the internal affairs investigation, Jackson ordered Doty to stop and get on the ground several times before drawing his service weapon.

Doty ignored the commands and Jackson fired two shots, hitting him with both rounds, according to the IA file. 

Doty was transported to an area hospital, where he later died.

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Robbery leads to shooting in North Carolina Walmart parking lot

Occurred April 11, 2014.

Scene of Belmont Walmart shooting (source)

Matthew Lee Ollis met two men, half-brothers, Malik Tymel Moore and Wesley Perkins III, with the intention of selling them a diamond ring as arranged on Craigslist, in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Belmont, North Carolina.

But the brothers snatched the ring and tried to drive away.

Ollis then opened fire with a pistol, firing many shots and causing shoppers to flee in panic.  The robbers, too, fled their vehicle.  Police arrived, and two men were found and taken into custody.  The third, Moore, escaped.

From an article:

That man, Matthew Lee Ollis, told police that Malik Tymel Moore and his half-brother, Wesley Perkins III,  snatched the ring and drove off in their Jeep.

Ollis told police he fired shots at the fleeing Jeep and flattened one of the tires.
“I heard ta-ta-ta-ta, and I said, ‘What in the world is that?’ All of a sudden I saw people ducking and jumping under their cars and I thought, oh dear God, oh dear God," said one shopper who witnessed the confrontation.

The shooter was questioned for several hours at the police station, and now faces several charges for discharging his gun in public.  Police recovered two weapons at the scene.

He was escorted in handcuffs to jail, but told NBC Charlotte he was shooting at the men to protect himself and his possessions. Ollis is charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. He was given a $100,000 secured bond.

Though Ollis was victimized in the robbery, he was wrong to fire his gun.  His own father and Chief of police agree:

"And he was in the wrong for firing shots and they were in the wrong also for trying to rip someone off when they should have been trying to make an honest living for themselves."
Ollis says his son was the shooter.

"And he should never been trying to fire bullets towards an occupied building."
Chief Franklin said Matthew Ollis will face charges.

"You can't just pull a gun out and shoot at someone, especially in the parking lot of Walmart" Chief Franklin said.

"The people who attempted to take the ring from him were running away as he was shooting at them. He was not really in danger plus the parking lot of Walmart was covered. One of the bullets could easily have shot an innocent bystander."

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Wanted man shot by officer in California Walmart parking lot; brother also shot nearby

Occurred April 3, 2014.

Scene of Fairfield Walmart shooting (source)

Federal officers were in Fairfield, California, looking for two brothers who were wanted for attempted homicidal shooting.

One brother was found in the parking lot of a Walmart store.  When the man presented a gun, the officer shot him.

The other brother, who also had a gun, was shot by a police officer across the street, 30 minutes later.

From an article:

One suspect, Markell Davis, 27, of Fairfield, was located behind the Walmart at 2701 N. Texas St. Around 2:46 p.m., a U.S. Marshal approached the Davis, who was armed with a handgun, according to authorities. Police said the suspect was shot by the federal officer, but did not say what led to the shooting.

About 30 minutes later, a second suspect, identified as Cory Davis, 33, of Suisun City, was found in an apartment complex across the street by Fairfield police. Davis, who was also armed, police reported, was shot by an officer. Police did not say what led to the shooting.
No officers were injured in the incidents. Both suspects were taken into custody.

It turns out this is the second time that one of the suspects, Markell Davis, has been shot in the last year.  From another article:

On Feb. 17, Moore was driving a Nissan with Demetri Moore, 33, of Fairfield sitting in the passenger seat, police said. A second vehicle pulled alongside them on the 2000 block of Claybank Road in Fairfield, and an individual inside that car or truck opened fire, hitting both Moore and Markell Davis. A lady driving in the region who was not involved in the confrontation was struck by gunfire.

Moore was arrested in that case, and Markell Davis had been sought as well. Police did not elaborate on Markell Davis' whereabouts following he was shot in February.

Cory Davis, meanwhile, had been sought in connection with a shooting that occurred in Vacaville on Feb. 19, police mentioned.

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Gunman robs elderly man at South Carolina Walmart; victim then shoots at robber

Occurred March 13, 2014.


A man with a gun approached an elderly man in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Gaffney, South Carolina, and robbed him of his driver's license and credit cards.

The victim then pulled out his own gun, firing two shots, but apparently missing.  The robber got away.

From an article:

According to a Gaffney Police Department incident report, a 74-year-old man told police an individual came up behind him as he was standing outside his pick-up truck on the morning of March 13.

The unknown gunman held a pistol to the side of the man's head and demanded money, according to the report. The robber grabbed the man's wallet, which contained $2,900, and ran away.

The 74-year-old of Iron Station, N.C., then fired two shots from his own pistol in the direction of the gunman, the report states.

The unknown gunman also ran away with the man's driver's license and credit cards, the report states.

More information, including the name of the victim and the description of the robber's vehicle.


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Man tries to steal rifle from Texas Walmart and gets shot by police in parking lot

Occurred March 21, 2014.

Scene of San Angelo Walmart shooting (source)

42-year-old Charles D. Welborn went into a Walmart superstore in San Angelo, Texas.  He grabbed a hammer, went to the sporting goods area, and then smashed a gun case, telling the clerk that he had a bomb.  He pulled out a rifle and tried to get away with it, pointing it at other shoppers.

A Walmart employee managed to wrestle the gun away from Welborn, then Welborn fled into the parking lot.

Police responded, finding Welborn in the parking lot.  Welborn then attacked police with a broken bottle, at which point they shot and injured him, hitting him three times.

From an article:

San Angelo's Northside Wal-mart re-opened just before ten Monday night; and 42-year-old Charles D. Welborn remains in the hospital after being shot by police.

The shooting followed an aggravated robbery at the Wal-mart on West 28th Street at about 2:40 Monday afternoon. The store and parking lot were closed off for several hours as police collected evidence, but re-opened late Monday evening.

About a dozen employees waited from across the street for the store to re-open.

Police say Welborn broke into a gun display case in the store, and took a rifle; then ran out after an employee took the rifle away from him.

Police shot Welborn in the parking lot after they say he charged at them with a broken bottle after refusing orders; medics transported him to Shannon Medical Center.

Further details can be found in another article.

Welborn later died from his injuries. 

According to family members, Welborn had suffered from depression and alcoholism brought on by the suicide of a teen daughter, the death of an infant daughter from SIDS, and then the death of his wife from cancer.

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Gunman attempts to rob taxi in parking lot of Indiana Walmart

Occurred February 20, 2014.


A man with a gun attempted to rob a taxi, in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Avon, Indiana, but was caught soon after.

From an article:

Police officials say a person was taken into custody after trying to rob a taxi cab driver at gunpoint.

The incident occurred at the Walmart in Avon.

When police arrived at the scene, the suspect ran towards the Avon Village Trailer Park, located across from the Walmart. Officials say a perimeter was set up in that area. The suspect was later found, with the weapon, hiding under a trailer.

Is this the same Walmart in Avon where a violent kidnapping and sexual assault occurred a couple weeks earlier?

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Elderly Walmart employee in Indiana robbed at gunpoint in parking lot

Occurred January 27, 2014.


An elderly worker at a Walmart store in Elkhart, Indiana, was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot.

From an article:

On January 27th 2014 at approximately 8:00pm, a 75 yr old employee of Wal-Mart 175 CR6W Elkhart was robbed at gunpoint after leaving for home. This occurred in the parking lot. Taken in the armed robbery was the victim’s wallet containing cash and credit cards. 

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Gunman robs cashier at North Carolina Walmart

Occurred February 7, 2014.


A man entered a Walmart store in Mooresville, North Carolina, pulled out a handgun, and robbed a cashier.

From an article:

Shortly before midnight, police responded to another report of an armed robbery at the Walmart at 169 Norman Station Blvd. The suspect is described as a black man with a graying goatee, approximately 6 feet tall, wearing a black jacket, gray shirt, sunglasses and a blue toboggan. He displayed a handgun as he approached the cashier and demanded money from the register, according to police. He took cash and fled the scene on foot.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/08/4674742/mooresville-police-investigating.html#.U6felLFBnOM#storylink=cpy

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Woman robbed at gunpoint at South Carolina Walmart

Occurred February 5, 2014.


A woman, a Walmart employee, was in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina, when a man approached her.  He then attempted to carjack her and possibly kidnap her.  When she resisted, he drove off in her car with her purse.

Luckily, no one was injured.

From an article and news video:

Police Chief Lance Crowe said the woman worked inside the store and was headed to her car in the employee lot on the grocery-side of the building when a man approached and asked for some change about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

When the woman said no and kept walking to her car, the man pulled out a gun and demanded she get in the vehicle, Crowe said. He said the woman believed he was trying to steal the car and kidnap her, so she tried to grab the gun and struggle with the man before she took off running.

The man grabbed her purse and drove off in her car, a 2004 VW Beetle, police said. Later Thursday morning, Crowe said the same officer working the case discovered the woman's Beetle unoccupied in the parking lot of Tractor Supply in Travelers Rest.

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