Conceal carry permit holder unintentionally shoots self in Tennessee Walmart

Occurred January 13, 2015.


A man who was legally carrying a concealed handgun unintentionally shot himself while in a Walmart store in Athens, Tennessee. 

Luckily, this time, the wound was not serious and no one else was injured.  No charges were pressed.

From an article:

At around 1 p.m. Monday, an unidentified man was going through the men's clothing department at Walmart when he decided to reach for a handkerchief in his pocket. When he did, a gun in that pocket went off and the bullet cut through his leg.

The man was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center to be treated for his injury.

No charges will be brought as authorities with the Athens Police Department deemed the shooting accidental. Also, the man was carrying the weapon legally.

Walmart allows the carrying of concealed handguns in its stores.

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Conceal carry permit holder shot to death by her 2-year old in Idaho Walmart

Occurred December 30, 2014.

Scene of fatal shooting at Hayden Walmart (source)

(UPDATED - See below)

A 29-year old woman, Veronica J. Rutledge, was shopping with her four children in a Walmart store in Hayden, Idaho, when her 2-year old boy reached into her purse, grabbed a loaded, unsecured handgun, and shot her to death with it.

The woman had a conceal carry permit.  This is at least the 11th incident this year caused by a conceal carry permit holder in Walmart stores, and at least the 30th since I've started keeping track.  See HERE.  And I only know of one incident were a concealed carry permit shooting at a Walmart store was actually deemed as self defense.  So, Walmart, why do you still allow this dangerous practice in your stores?

From an article:

Veronica J. Rutledge, 29, was shopping with her son and three other children, Kootenai County sheriff's spokesman Stu Miller said. Rutledge was from Blackfoot in southeastern Idaho, and her family had come to the area to visit relatives.

She had a concealed weapons permit. Miller said the young boy was left in a shopping cart, reached into his mother's purse and grabbed a small-caliber handgun, which discharged one time.

Deputies who responded to the Wal-Mart found Rutledge dead, the sheriff's office said.
"It appears to be a pretty tragic accident," Miller said.

The victim's father-in-law, Terry Rutledge, told The Associated Press that Veronica Rutledge "was a beautiful, young, loving mother."

"She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

The woman's husband was not in the store when the shooting happened at about 10:20 a.m. Miller said the man arrived shortly after the shooting. All the children were taken to a relative's house.

The shooting occurred in the Wal-Mart in Hayden, Idaho, a town about 40 miles northeast of Spokane, Washington. The store closed and was not expected to reopen until Wednesday morning.

Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said in a statement the shooting was a "very sad and tragic accident."

It is very sad and tragic, and unintentional, but it wasn't an "accident" as I define it since it was completely avoidable.  There are a lot of lessons to be learned here.  The gun wasn't secured.  It was around children.  It was loaded.  And Walmart didn't have to allow the carrying of guns in their stores.  All of these factors increase the risk.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

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UPDATE (12/31/14):   The purse where the gun had been stored was specially made for storing a concealed handgun and was given to her this Christmas by her husband.  Both the woman and her husband were very experienced with guns and guns played a big part in their lives.  From an article:

Terry Rutledge, Veronica's father-in-law, told The Spokesman-Review that the boy unzipped the special gun compartment in the woman's purse where the weapon was kept while she was looking at clothing.

Terry Rutledge said his 29-year-old daughter-in-law did not put the weapon "loosely into her purse."

Victoria Rutledge had a concealed weapons permit, and guns were a big part of Rutledge's life, her father-in-law said. ....

Terry Rutledge told The Washington Post that Veronica Rutledge and her husband practiced at shooting ranges and each had a concealed weapons permit. He said for Christmas this year, her husband gave her the purse with a special zippered pocket for a concealed weapon.

About 7 percent of adults in Idaho had concealed weapons permits at the end of 2012, according to the Crime Prevention Research Center in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. That ranked Idaho among the top third of states.

UPDATE (1/1/15):  A good article on the local gun culture that contributed to this tragedy.
. 

Virginia Walmart shopper unintentionally shoots himself in car while in parking lot

Occurred December 20, 2014.

Scene of accidental shooting at Norfolk Walmart (screenshot source)

A man was driving his car in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Norfolk, Virginia, when he unintentionally shot himself with his own gun.

From an article:

Police are investigating a shooting at a Norfolk Walmart Saturday afternoon.

It happened around 2:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the store on Tidewater Drive, according to authorities. Police have not said exactly what happened, but sources tell 10 On Your Side the man accidentally shot himself while driving.

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Shots illegally fired by conceal carry permit holder during fight at Pennsylvania Walmart

Occurred November 16, 2014.


Two men, Joseff Baskerville, 23, and another man known as T.B. got into a fight in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  That's when Baskerville pulled out a Glock handgun and fired into the air.  T.B. fled, and Baskerville was arrested.

From an article:

Police responded to a report of two males shooting at each other in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter in the Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace on Highland Park Boulevard and detained two men near the Cracker Barrel restaurant.

One male, identified as Joseff Baskerville, 23, of Wilkes-Barre, reported that a male known to him only as T.B. had struck him in the head with his fist, police said.

Baskerville at that time drew his weapon, a Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol, and fired rounds into the air as a warning; the unknown male fled the area, police said.

Police recovered the weapon from Baskerville and determined that he possessed a valid concealed weapons permit issued through the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Department. ...

Police determined that Rivers had an outstanding arrest warrant from the state of New Jersey. He was taken into custody, charged as a fugitive from justice and was arraigned before District Judge Martin Kane, and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail.

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Tennessee conceal carry permit holder threatens man at Walmart store when told to stop speeding

Occurred July 22, 2014.


37-year-old Angela Scruggs was told to stop speeding through a Murfreesboro, Tennessee Walmart store parking lot by another shopper, Jason Hill, after Scruggs nearly hit Hill's son.  Scruggs responded by pulling a .22 caliber handgun and pointing it at Hill, saying she had a conceal carry permit.

Police were called, and Scruggs was arrested.

From an article:

Hill told police that Scruggs nearly struck his son when she went speeding by in her Nissan Altima. He shouted to her to “stop speeding,” at which point a confrontation ensued.

Scruggs told police that she became alarmed when Hill approached her with his hands in his pockets and pulled her gun for self defense and placed it on her lap.

According to Hill, Scruggs pointed the weapon at him and threatened to shoot. When Hill said he was calling police, he said Scruggs responded, “I don’t care. I got a carry permit.”

She left the scene but was pulled over by Murfreesboro Police. Police confiscated a .22 caliber handgun that was entered as evidence in the case. Scruggs is due back in court in October.

Walmart supports conceal carry at its stores.

Is this the same Murfreesboro Walmart where two men were found shot to death in January?

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Open carry of firearm in Missouri Walmart alarms customers

Occurred July 21, 2014.

A man entered a Walmart store in Kansas City, Missouri, with an openly-displayed handgun on him.  Naturally, shoppers were alarmed, not knowing his intentions or level of training, and called 911.

Police responded and interviewed the man, but then released him.  Missouri law allows open carry of firearms, and Walmart is permissive.

A news video on the incident:

 


No law was broken, but Walmart is just fine with its employees and shoppers being alarmed.


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Man leaves loaded handgun in South Carolina Walmart bathroom

Occurred July 12, 2014.


A loaded .38-caliber handgun was found unattended in the bathroom of a Walmart in York, South Carolina.

Police were notified, and the gun was taken into evidence, and was found not to be reported stolen.  "Some time later" a man called in to report that he had lost the gun and was told to report to the police to retrieve it.

From an article:

Officers were called to Walmart on East Liberty Street at about 3 p.m. when an assistant manager reported that a customer told him a gun was in the men’s restroom near the back of the store, according to a York Police report. The manager locked the bathroom door and called police. 

Police went inside the bathroom and walked to the last stall, where they found a gray Smith & Wesson revolver on the toilet paper dispenser, the report states. An officer found five live .38 caliber rounds inside the gun. Officers checked the gun’s serial numbers and realized it was not stolen. 

Some time later, a man called police about the gun, the report states. He described the gun to officers and explained he left it in the bathroom. Police instructed him to report to the police department on Monday to pick up his firearm.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/07/14/3563913/loaded-gun-found-in-bathroom-at.html#storylink=cpy

Walmart allows conceal carry in its stores.

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Conceal carry gun owner drops gun and shoots woman in Indiana Walmart

Occurred May 24, 2014.


A woman was shopping in a Walmart store in Columbus, Indiana, when a man with a legally concealed handgun and permit, Tony Ward, dropped his gun.  The gun discharged and hit the woman in the arm.  

Luckily, the newborn child in her cart was not injured.

A police chief was in the Walmart store and responded to the shooting when he heard it.  Remarkably, Ward was not charged in the shooting.

From an article:

Columbus Police Chief Jon Rohde was at the store at about 8 p.m. Saturday night when he heard a gunshot. Rohde told The Republic that 56-year-old Tony E. Ward of Columbus had been carrying a .22 pistol in a holster on his waistband. The gun fell from his waist and discharged.

The bullet went through a soda bottle in a cart and struck the right arm of 26-year-old Virginia Thompson, who was pushing her newborn baby when the gun went off. The bullet hit the outside of Thompson's arm and after treatment by paramedics she declined to be taken to the hospital.

Rohde told the paper that Ward had a permit for the handgun and Ward was not arrested.

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Political extremists kill two police and conceal handgun owner in pizza place and Nevada Walmart before being killed

Occurred June 8, 2014.

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.

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Conceal carry gun owner unintentionally shoots self in Indiana Walmart

Occurred June 15, 2014.


A man with a legal conceal carried handgun was in the checkout at a Walmart store in Jasper, Indiana, when he unintentionally fired the gun, injuring his leg.

Luckily, the injury was mild and no one else was injured.

From an article:

Kenneth D. Pirtle, 65, Dale, told police he was carrying the .40 caliber handgun in his front pocket and it had discharged when he reached into the pocket to retrieve something. The bullet exited Pirtle’s pant leg and struck the vinyl/concrete floor in the store causing it to ricochet up and become lodged in a wall.

No one was struck by the round.

Pirtle suffered minor injuries to his leg from the discharge but refused medical treatment. He was charged with criminal recklessness with a firearm.

According to police, Pirtle had other items in his pocket that may have played a factor in the handgun accidentally discharging.

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Man with legally-carried handgun unintentionally shoots himself in Arizona Walmart store

Occurred May 17, 2014.

Scene of accidental shooting in Phoenix Walmart (source)

A man was legally carrying a handgun in a Phoenix, Arizona, Walmart store when he unintentionally fired it, injuring himself in the leg and sending panicked shoppers fleeing.

Luckily, it was not a fatal wound, and no one else was injured.

From an article and news video:

Police said a man accidentally shot himself in the leg while at a Wal-Mart store in Phoenix on Saturday.

Phoenix police spokesman Officer James Holmes said the man had a gun on his hip and it went off. ...

Holmes said the man's injuries were not life-threatening.

A permit is not required for carrying a gun concealed or openly in Arizona.

Phoenix has been the city of at least three other Walmart gun crimes in the last couple years, as posted here at Walmart Shootings, including a robber who shot and killed a store manager in 2012,  a man who had just stolen a realistic-looking BB gun from the store then was killed by police when he pointed it at them in 2013, and the theft of three rifles from a store in April of this year.  

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Conceal carry permit holder unintentionally shoots himself at Iowa Sam's Club

Occurred February 26, 2014.


A man with a conceal carry permit was putting his gun in his vehicle, in the parking lot of a Sam's Club in Waterloo, Iowa, when he unintentionally fired it, hitting himself in the butt.  He then drove home, and was persuaded to get medical attention.

From an article:

According to police, 50-year-old David Kugel was removing his handgun to store in his vehicle in the parking lot of Sam’s Club, 210 E. Tower Park Drive, at about 6 p.m. when he weapon fired. The bullet struck Kugel in the buttocks, causing a minor wound, according to the police report. 

Kugel then drove home, where a family member persuaded him to seek medical attention. He was treated at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo. 

Capt. Tim Pillack said Kugel had the proper permit to carrying the weapon.

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Man at Arizona Walmart threatens teens with a gun and knife

Occurred February 12, 2014.


A man got into a confrontation with a group of teen boys at a Walmart store in Flagstaff, Arizona.  He then urged them out of the store, at which point he threatened them with a knife and handgun.  When they reported it, he fled.

He was later arrested and the weapons were confiscated.

From an article:

Witnesses said the man became angry when one of the teenagers started rotating a jewelry display his wife was looking at. The teen apologized but a verbal dispute ensued. One witness heard the man suggest they “take this outside.” 

When the teen and his three friends followed the man out to the store’s Garden Center, the suspect pulled out a gun and a knife. At least one witness said they saw the man briefly point the gun at the teens and say, “Have you ever killed someone? Well, I have.” The teen told one of his friends to call the police and a Walmart employee told the suspect to leave immediately.
He then drove of with his wife on a motorcycle. 

Police pulled the couple over a short time later near West Route 66 and Railroad Springs Boulevard. The suspect said the teen had been disrespectful of his wife and refused to walk away. He admitted he had a gun and knife in his hands during the confrontation, but denied pointing the gun at the teen. He also claimed it was the teen’s idea to go outside to fight, and said he took out his weapons because he felt threatened. 

The gun and knife, as well as Walmart’s security footage, were collected as evidence.

You don't need a conceal carry permit in Arizona, and Walmart stores allow carrying of guns in their stores.

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Shots fired in Craigslist robbery at Texas Walmart

Occurred February 13, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Missouri City Walmart (source)

(UPDATED -- See below)
35-year old Luke Kwan met with a man to sell his iPhone, inside a Walmart in Missouri City, Texas.

That's when the other man grabbed the phone without paying and ran away, hitting Kwan in the process, according to him.  Kwan gave chase, pulled out his handgun, and opened fire on the man in the parking lot.  Though the lot was busy, neither the robber nor any of the bystanders were wounded, though a nearby house was hit by a stray bullet.

The robber escaped.

From an article:

According to investigators, Kwan was meeting a man inside the store, who agreed to buy his iPhone. The man snatched the phone and took off without paying. Police said Kwan followed him and tried to shoot him in the parking lot with other customers around. 

“You have the right to protect yourself or prevent the theft of your property,” said Missouri City Police Lt. Paul Poulton. “But you have to do it in a responsible manner.” 

Nobody was injured in the parking lot shooting, but police said a bullet was found lodged in a nearby home. It’s not clear how many rounds were fired. 

Kwan is being held in the Fort Bend County Jail. He’ll have a bond hearing on Friday morning. 

Police are still looking for the man who stole his cell phone.

Kwan was not charged for carrying the gun, so he likely had a permit.

Is a cell phone worth killing someone over?

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UPDATE (10/15/14):  The case against Kwan was dismissed.  To see the story from Kwan's telling, see his Facebook page posting, HERE.

Fight at an Arizona Walmart leads to man shot to death

Occurred January 16, 2014.

Scene of fatal shooting at Chandler Walmart (source)

(UPDATED -- See below)

Two men got into an argument at the service counter of a Walmart store in Chandler, Arizona.  One of the men, Kyle Wayne Quadlin, 25, pulled out a gun and shot the other, Kriston Charles Belinte Chee, 36.  Quadlin soon fled the scene.

Chee later died at the hospital.

Police caught up to Quadlin at his home.  Quadlin claimed self-defense.

From an article:

Detectives reviewing surveillance video report that two people -- Kyle Wayne Quadlin, 25, and Kriston Charles Belinte Chee, 36 -- got into a fight in the store, which ended in a shooting around 4 p.m. Sunday, Chandler police spokesman Joseph Favazzo said in a news release.

"It appears the two did not know one another," Favazzo said in an email to media outlets Monday morning. "The initial dispute broke out at the service counter."

According to police, Quadlin was losing the fight. Favazzo said he told officers he "was in fear for his life" when he pulled a gun and allegedly shot Belinte Chee.

Quadlin remained at the store for a little while and then fled. He didn't make any other threats, according to Favazzo.

Soon afterward, a family member called authorities to report his whereabouts. Police picked up Quadlin at the home and were questioning him. He was not under arrest as of Monday morning and was cooperating with authorities, Favazzo said.

Belinte Chee was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, but later died.

According to another article, the shooter never called police, but rather a family member reported him to the police, who then responded to the shooter's home to question him.


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UPDATE (3/3/14):  So far, the shooter has not been charged.  HERE you can see video of the fight and the disagreement at the Customer Service counter, which preceded the fight.  Chee is seen following the shooter toward the door, then shoving Quadlin first.  Was deadly force required?

UPDATE (3/19/14):  The widow of the slain man claims that he was defending her when he was shot to death, despite the claim by the shooter that he was acting in self-defense. Said investigators,
“It’s going to come down to what the witnesses have to say.”

Conceal carry gun owner unintentionally fires gun in Iowa Walmart and continues shopping

Occurred November 17, 2013.


Christopher Strube, a legal conceal carry permit holder, was shopping in a Walmart store in Centerville, Iowa, when he unintentionally fired his concealed handgun, hitting some items in his cart but not injuring himself or others, luckily.  

Amazingly, he acted like nothing happened, continued shopping, paid for his goods, and left the store.

He was reported and arrested.

The store remained open throughout the event.

From an article:

Officers said Christopher William Strube, of Centerville, was shopping Sunday afternoon when the .45-caliber handgun fired from his pants pocket. 

Investigators said the 50-year-old Strube told them a bottle he was carrying struck the weapon and caused it to fire one round. 

Police said Strube told them he paid for his items and left the store. 

Store employees and other shoppers reported the gunshot, and police said they smelled gunpowder and found a bullet hole in a basket and several cans of beans. 

They also found a .45-caliber bullet in one of the cans of beans. 

Strube, who has a valid concealed carry permit, was arrested the following morning and charged with discharging a weapon within city limits.

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Gun-wielding vigilantes hold shoplifters at bay at Georgia Walmart

Occurred November 8, 2013.


Two drunk men shoplifted meat from a Walmart store in Thomasville, Georgia.  

Two citizens confronted the men in the parking lot, and when they tried to flee, the citizens rammed their car, then held the men at gunpoint until police arrived.  The citizens had conceal carry licenses.

From an article:

Robert Thurman, 38, and Larry King, 27, have been charged with felony shoplifting. 

Police said the suspects tried to escape by car Thursday night, but two citizens in the parking lot used their own vehicles to corral the men. The suspects tried to drive off, but the citizens rammed their vehicle, disabling it. 

Then, the suspects got out of the car, and the citizens held them at gunpoint until the police could arrest them, police said. No one was injured. 

Both citizens were armed with licensed weapons, said Wade Glover, a commander with the Thomasville Police Department. 

Glover said the suspects were intoxicated.

Thomasville is also the scene of a shooting and attempted homicide at a Walmart store in April, 2012.

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Conceal carry permit holder accidentally shoots himself in Tennessee Walmart

Occurred October 2, 2013.

Scene of shooting at Antioch Walmart (source)

A man who had a conceal carry permit was near the check out inside an Antioch, Tennessee, Walmart store when his concealed handgun, without a holster, slipped.  He tried to catch it, but then unintentionally discharged it, hitting himself in the leg.

Luckily no one else was injured.

From an article:

A 21-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the leg at the Walmart in Antioch Wednesday. 

Police, who would not identify the man, said he suffered a minor leg injury just after 4 p.m. and was later sent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment. 

The man had a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit and was carrying a .40 caliber pistol in his waistband. He felt the gun slipping as he neared a Walmart checkout line with a gallon of milk in hand. When he reached for the unholstered firearm, the gun discharged a single round into his left leg, police said. 

The victim then walked to a chair and sat down while an employee took the gun. 

No charges are expected to be filed in the case because no one else was hurt.

Walmart permits concealed handguns in its stores.  Conceal carry permit holders have so far been responsible for at least 14 incidents in Walmart stores.  Not once has one conceal carry holder, outside of security or law enforcement, used their weapon in a defensive manner at a Walmart store.

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Two people dead from murder/suicide in Ohio Walmart parking lot

Occurred September 8, 2013.


After gunshots were reported, two people were found dead in a car in the parking lot of a Walmart in Salem, Ohio.

From an article:

According to the Salem Police Department Facebook page, two people were found dead in the Walmart parking lot. At Approximately 2:40 a.m. Salem police received a 911 call of reported shots fired at the Walmart, 2875 E. State St. Upon arrival, officers located a deceased female and male in the southeast parking lot of the store. A Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun was also located near the male. Several witnesses have been interviewed and store security video is being analyzed. 

According to another article, it was a murder/suicide, where the shooter killed his former girlfriend and then himself.

The female victim, Sylvia Maillis, 37, was an overnight support manager at the Walmart.  Her ex-boyfriend who did the shooting, Charles Kropinak, 36, had a conceal carry license.  From another article:

[Maillis and friends] returned to the employee parking lot next to the market side of the store and were inside her car when her ex-boyfriend, 36-year-old Charles Kropinak, of Campbell, pulled up a couple of spaces down and exited his vehicle. 

She exited her vehicle and the two argued, then Kropinak pulled out a 9mm Ruger semi-automatic handgun and shot Maillis multiple times before shooting himself. 

They were both dead at the scene, with the handgun found near Kropinak. Police received the first 911 call at 2:40 a.m. from a caller at Walmart who said somebody had been shot.
...
She had a 9-year-old daughter and had worked for Walmart since 2005. According to Davis, she had a Canfield address but lived on Washingtonville Road. 

He couldn't confirm whether she had a protection order against Kropinak or not, saying he couldn't find a record of one and if she had one previously, it must have expired. He confirmed that Kropinak did hold a conceal carry permit. A protection order prohibits the person the order is against from having a firearm.

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Conceal carry permit holder arrested for failing to show permit to officer at Iowa Walmart

Occurred August 28, 2013.


An officer in uniform, working as off-duty security at a Des Moines, Iowa, Walmart store, saw 23-year old Dennis Scott Estell with a handgun in a holster.  The officer asked for Estell to show his permit, as provided by Iowa law, but Estell repeatedly refused.  The officer then arrested Estell, who was charged with a misdemeanor and had his gun confiscated.

From an article:

A Des Moines police officer working off-duty, but in full uniform, saw Dennis Scott Estell, 23, walk into the store with a handgun in a holster on his belt, police reports show. 

The officer asked Estell if he had a permit for the weapon and Estell said he did, officials said.
But when the officer asked to see the permit, Estell reportedly refused, saying, “No, it’s my right to carry this and I don’t have to show you my permit.” 

Iowa law requires anyone carrying a revolver or pistol to carry a permit and produce it at the request of a police officer. Failing to produce the permit is a simple misdemeanor. 

Estell refused the officer’s second request to see the permit and the officer placed him under arrest and confiscated the gun. 

Estell was charged with carrying weapons and interference with official acts. He remains in the Polk County Jail on a $2,300 bond.

According to another article:

The officer took Estell into custody and seized the gun, which had a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine. ... 

The police report shows Estell does have a permit to carry, issued out of Madison County. 

According to Iowa Code 724.5, “A person armed with a revolver, pistol, or pocket billy concealed upon the person shall have in the person’s immediate possession the permit provided for in section 724.4, subsection 4, paragraph “i”, and shall produce the permit for inspection at the request of a peace officer.  Failure to so produce a permit is a simple misdemeanor.”

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