An armed man with a rifle and 100 rounds of ammo entered a Walmart in Springfield intent on causing chaos. But thanks to smart store manager and an off-duty fireman with a concealed carry gun, the armed assailant is now in police custody:
KSFY – A man with loaded weapons and more than 100 rounds of ammunition was stopped by an off-duty firefighter at a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Missouri Thursday night.
According to KY3, the Springfield Police Department said officers responded to a report of an active shooter. They said the man walked into the Walmart, grabbed a cart, began pushing it around the store, and started recording himself with a cell phone.
The store manager pulled a fire alarm, urging people to get out of the store. The armed man left the store through an emergency exit, where an off-duty firefighter held him at gunpoint. Officers arrived within minutes to detain the suspect. They said the suspect had tactical weapons, body armor, and military fatigues.
Lieutenant Mike Lucas with the Springfield Police Department said it was clear the man’s intent was to cause chaos, saying in part, “His intent was not to cause peace or comfort…He’s lucky he’s alive still, to be honest.”
The department is still working to identify the man’s motives.
Another good guy with a gun stops a bad guy in his tracks. Awesome!
Below is a photo of the man with his hands up and face blurred:
Just In Tonight – Authorities say an off-duty firefighter stopped a man armed with 100 rounds of ammunition at a Walmart in Missouri. | Off-duty firefighter stops man armed with 100 rounds of ammunition at south Springfield Walmart>> https://t.co/UxK3zOmz5c pic.twitter.com/kFDMPoeVk2
— Live5News (@Live5News) August 9, 2019
If the gunman had escaped, who knows what he might have done. It was totally the right thing for the off-duty fireman to hold this idiot at gunpoint.
Also kudos to the store manager for not allowing his customers to become victims of another massacre.