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| Scene of Las Vegas Walmart shooting (source) |
Las Vegas police officers Alyn Beck, 41, and Igor Soldo, 31,
were at a CiCi's pizza restaurant when they were ambushed by two shooters, a
married couple, Jerad and Amanda Miller. The shooters shouted "This is the start of
a revolution!" and draped the dead bodies with a Gadsden flag.
The pair then went across the street to a Walmart
store. There they told everyone to get
out, waving guns around and cursing. From
an
article:
A law enforcement official who has been briefed on the incident said an officer — unconfirmed reports indicate it was Soldo — was refilling a soft drink when the female shooter approached him from behind and shot him in the head, killing him instantly.
The woman then shot the other officer several times as he drew his pistol. Gillespie said the officer was able to return fire but it was unclear if he hit anyone.
One officer was reported dead at the scene, while the other died later in surgery at University Medical Center.
Witnesses told police one of the shooters yelled “This is the start of a revolution” before shooting the officers. Gillespie later said he could not confirm that.
The shooters then stripped the officers of their weapons and ammunition and badges, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation. They then covered the officers with something that featured the Gadsden flag, a yellow banner with a coiled snake above the words, “Don’t tread on Me.”
The flag is named for Christopher Gadsden a Revolutionary War general who designed it. It has recently come back in vogue as an adopted symbol of the American tea party movement.
The shooters left the pizza parlor and headed into the Wal-Mart across the street at 201 North Nellis. Witnesses at the scene reported hearing shots fired in quick succession inside the Wal-Mart.
At a news conference at about 1 p.m. Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the male shooter, described as a tall white man, yelled “everyone get out” before shooting.
At this point, a citizen with a concealed handgun, Joseph Robert Wilcox, decided to intervene instead of flee. Wilcox pulled
his gun, but was ambushed and shot from behind by the female suspect, killing
him. From an article:
After executing two Las Vegas police officers at CiCi’s Pizza, Jerad Miller entered a nearby Wal-Mart, at Nellis Boulevard and Stewart Avenue, fired a round in the air and ordered everyone to leave, setting off a panic. It was at that point, instead of running, Wilcox approached Jerad Miller from behind.
Law enforcement sources said Wilcox, who had a concealed weapons permit and carried a handgun, was ready to “end it” when Amanda Miller, who was behind Wilcox, shot and killed him.
Wilcox had dreamed of being a police officer:
Wilcox had considered joining the Metropolitan Police Department several times, his mother said.
The pair of shooters then went deeper into the Walmart
store. From an
article:
Both shooters were reportedly carrying large duffle bags, and a bomb squad was called to the scene. It’s unclear what, if anything, was found in the bags. A fire department official said the bomb squad response was “a precaution.”
Hector Garcia was shopping in Wal-Mart’s arts and crafts aisle toward the back of the store when he encountered a man brandishing a gun. He looked like he was in his 20s, was wearing camouflage and had a duffle bag draped over his shoulder.
He said the shooter appeared calm when he pointed the gun at him and said, “Don’t run.” The gunman, Garcia said, continued walking to the back of the store. Garcia said that store employees were evacuating customers through the back of the store.
More police and SWAT responded.
At this point there was a shootout (VIDEO), and both
suspects were shot to death (initial reports were that the female had killed
the male, but the
police later refuted this and claimed police shot him; it appears that Amanda Miller committed
suicide).
The Millers had armor-piercing bullets, were well-armed with
a number of guns, and even smashed the gun case in the Walmart to continue
arming themselves. From an
article:
Jerad and Amanda Miller wore adult diapers and carried four handguns, a shotgun, water and food, Gillespie said. The couple also smashed a Wal-Mart sporting-goods display case with a baseball bat to get more ammunition as they exchanged gunfire with SWAT officers, he said.
The husband and wife died June 8 after being cornered in the back of the store in the 15-minute shootout. In all, 52 shots were fired by the Millers and police inside the store. The husband and wife fired 36 shots, Gillespie said, and police fired 16.
The Millers had been
part of the Bundy Ranch standoff, but were kicked out when their behavior
was too extreme and dangerous. Jerad
Miller was also a
felon.
Walmart. Save money. Die faster.
