Two men get into argument in Walmart, then one shoots the other, Texas sheriff says

Two men were inside Walmart, toward the back of the store, when they got into an argument, according to authorities in Texas.

One of the men then pulled out a gun and shot the other man in his abdomen, Maj. Saul Suarez with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said during an on-scene news conference recorded by KHOU.

Deputies were called to the shooting at the Houston Walmart at about noon Sunday, April 23.

They arrived within four minutes, Suarez said, and learned the suspect barricaded himself in a nearby Murphy USA gas station convenience store.

The accused shooter called 911, telling authorities where he was hiding, officials said.

Deputies responded to the business and got the man to surrender, Suarez said.

Other deputies found the victim shot inside Walmart, Suarez continued. The man was rushed to a hospital, where he was in stable condition as of the media briefing.

“A lot of people” were at the Walmart, Suarez said, though nobody else was injured.

Preliminary information suggests the two men may have known each other, but that had not been confirmed as of the news conference, authorities said. It is also unclear if they were customers or workers.

The suspect was released on Monday, KTRK reported, and he has not been formally charged. Authorities expect to turn the case over to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

This story was originally published April 25, 2023 at 8:08 AM with the headline "Two men get into argument in Walmart, then one shoots the other, Texas sheriff says."