BEECH GROVE, Ind. — An armed customer who saw an accused shoplifter pointing a gun at a Walmart security guard fired at the suspect on Saturday, investigators said.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said the security guard, who works full time as a park ranger, confronted a suspected shoplifter around 4 p.m. and the man pulled out a gun, WISH reported.
A bystander, who is licensed to carry a firearm, saw the man pull the gun and he pulled and fired his. The bystander fired three shots that missed, WXIN reported. The suspect heard the shots and ran from the store but was stopped shortly later by police and another good Samaritan, WRTV reported.
“It is phenomenal that when we needed the community, they were right there with us,” Officer Samone Burris, spokesperson for the agency, told WRTV. “We definitely want to thank both of the good Samaritans and any other standby or person that was here, that helped during this incident.”
A store loss prevention employee was treated for minor injuries at the scene, WXIN reported. The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital for treatment for minor injuries. Possible charges against him have not yet been filed, the Indianapolis Star reported. Officials said he also has unrelated warrants.
The security guard and the bystanders who helped were not injured.
“It definitely does our hearts good that nobody was injured during this altercation. We thank the public that witnessed what was going on and jumped into action with us,” Burris said. “We thank the public for just continuing to support us, continuing to rally with us, and continuing to make sure that cases that need to be solved are being solved, with their help, with their support.”
#UPDATE: A man who saw a suspected shoplifter point a firearm at an off-duty park ranger fired shots at the suspect inside a Walmart on Saturday in Beech Grove. https://t.co/Yh6J4FzqBO
— WISH-TV (@WISH_TV) April 18, 2021
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