Customer dies after Florida Walmart shooting

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. (WFLA) — A man died after gunshots rang out at a Walmart store in South Florida on Tuesday.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened around 2 p.m. in Lauderdale Lakes. Deputies surrounded the store at 3001 N. State Road 7.

A man was shot multiple times and flown to the hospital on the rescue flight, where he later died. He was the only one injured.

According to deputies, the alleged gunman left the area on the scooter. He was taken into custody, but the authorities have not released any information about his identity.

Video of the shooting showed worried customers and employees gathered in the parking lot surrounded by police. What led to the shooting is not yet known.

A Walmart spokesman issued the following statement NBC affiliate WTVJ:

“Insane violence like this is intolerable and it breaks our hearts to learn that a customer was critically injured while assisting one of our employees. Our thoughts are with him, his family and our employees these days. The store remains closed while we continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”

Walmart

Shoppers recalled the horrifying moment when shots rang out in the store. They described running away after hearing the shots.

“I heard three shots – bam, bam, bam – and they seemed very close, so I went to the front of the store and then one of the employees said, ‘No, no, go back, go back, the exit is this way ‘So I went out the back,’ said one witness WTVJ.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office said detectives from its violent crimes division are investigating the shooting.