HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A dispute involving four women erupted into gunfire Friday afternoon inside a Walmart in east Harris County, authorities said.
HCSO deputies were called to the Walmart store located at 9234 N Sam Houston Parkway at around 2:48 p.m., after reports of a disturbance that began outside the building.
When deputies arrived three minutes later, they found one woman had been shot.
“There’s no threat to the public. This was an isolated incident,” HCSO Major Al Blenman said. “Although the public was around, so it was a dangerous scene.”
What happened
According to investigators, a group of four women began fighting outside the Walmart before the confrontation spilled inside, near the front registers and restrooms.
Two employees attempted to break up the fight when one of the women—identified as a Walmart employee—pulled out a handgun and fired several shots.
One of the other women was struck once and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspected shooter walked toward the entrance as deputies arrived, raised her hands, and surrendered without incident.
Blenman said the altercation was part of an “ongoing dispute” between the women and not connected to Walmart or the suspect’s employment, though the shooter was wearing a Walmart vest at the time.
He added that the three other women had reportedly come to the store to complain to management about the employee.
The Walmart was temporarily closed while detectives and crime scene units investigated, with customers cleared from the building.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced the suspected shooter, 22-year-old Breshaun Manuel, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
An anonymous witness told KPRC 2 Reporter Corley Peel she was checking out at the cashier when she quickly watched the situation turn violent.
“The Walmart employee walked up to her and pointed her gun out. She didn’t have no emotion toward it. She wasn’t even angry no more. She literally just shot her with a straight face,’ said the witness.
The witness said everyone inside hit the ground running.
“There was a lot of the elderly that were having panic attacks and ambulances and were falling out and passing out. It was just a lot,” said the witness.
Santino Gomez said he was just trying to buy Pokemon cards and Doritos when he saw the chaotic scene outside.
Since she decided to pull out a gun, you know, she ruined it for a bunch of the people that are trying to go to the store and stuff. So it kind of annoyed me that she acted in a cowardly manner,” said Gomez.
Many shoppers were left with security concerns.
“It happened so quick, I’m like, where did the gun even come from? How did you even come to work with a gun?,” said the witness.
Walmart gave KPRC 2 the following statement:
“Violence in our stores is unacceptable and we take these incidents seriously. We’re grateful to first responders for acting quickly and we will be working with police through their investigation.”