Texas Wal-Mart Shooting: Suspected Gunman Killed By Police

COMMERCE, Texas — A man walked into a Walmart in Texas carrying at least two guns before engaging in a shootout with police outside the store, authorities said. The man was killed and an off-duty officer in the store who had tried to stop him was injured.

The incident in the east Texas city of Commerce began when police received a call of shots being fired from a car in nearby Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas, said City of Commerce spokeswoman Marty Cunningham.

Commerce police intercepted the car just outside the city limits, where the man exchanged gunfire with officers, Cunningham said. He then drove to Walmart and entered the store "carrying a long gun and pistol," the spokeswoman said.

Cunningham said an off-duty officer from another agency was in the store and saw the man leave. The officer tried to stop the suspect in front of the store, where the officer and Commerce police exchanged gunfire with the man.

The off-duty officer was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries, Cunningham said. She said two people inside the store at the time of the shooting were hospitalized after complaining of chest pains.

Comments

[americavoice]

09:31 AM on 03/12/2010

Gun laws didn't stop him.
Rodriguez had a history of encounters with law enforcement in Hunt County in the past, but nothing of a violent nature. Records at the Hunt County Courthouse, obtained Monday by the Herald-Banner, revealed he was arrested by the Commerce Police Department in 2001 on charges of unlawfully carrying a weapon and driving while license suspended. Both charges were later dismissed. He was also arrested in 2003 by the Texas Highway Patrol on a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated and was placed on nine months of probation which he successfully completed.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty in the 354th District Court on April 10, 2002 to a felony charge of possession of between five and 50 pounds of marijuana. He was placed on seven years of deferred adjudication probation and was fined $1,000. Again, court records indicate Rodriguez completed the probation without incident and with no motions filed seeking a revocation.

Rodriguez did not have an address or telephone listed in Hunt County Monday. During the earlier incidents, Rodriguez provided an address in Dallas, which Monday was listed as belonging to a beauty parlor. No one answered the phone when called Monday.

[mandyford]

09:41 PM on 03/09/2010

For the record that IS NOT a picture of Wal-Mart in Commerce Texas!!! I was there today & I repeat, that IS NOT a photo of Wal-Mart in Commerce, Texas. Maybe it's just me but it really irritates me that they would us a stock photo or a shot from another occassion/location~

[Smirk]

08:29 PM on 03/07/2010

Good grief. At least the shooter was the only one to die.