Daniel Pirtle, Double Amputee, Allegedly Shoots Jason Mahi At Alaska Walmart

A double amputee allegedly shot a Walmart manager, then attempted to make a getaway on a motorized wheelchair.

Daniel Pirtle, 45, who has two metal, prosthetic legs, entered a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska, with an unleashed dog Saturday afternoon, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Pirtle claimed that the 5-month-old puppy, named Wookie, was a service animal.

The assistant manager, 33-year-old Jason Mahi, said he asked Pirtle to leave the store, which led to an argument.

The man was being escorted out when he whipped out a "big, long gun" and shot Mahi in the stomach, witness Wayne Toovak told the paper.

Pirtle allegedly fled the scene on his motorized scooter. He was stopped by an off-duty police officer who happened to be nearby, according to the Associated Press.

Pirtle lost his legs in surgery he underwent because of a battle with diabetes.

Pirtle's nephew, Joseph, told the Anchorage Daily News that his uncle said Mahi had pushed him out of the store and had been kicking Wookie. A Walmart spokeswoman told the paper that Pirtle's story is not true, and that Mahi never made any physical contact with Wookie.

Mahi's family told KTUU Monday that Mahi had undergone abdominal surgery and was in critical condition.

Pirtle has been charged with assault and weapons misconduct. According to his Facebook page, his favorite quotation, "You leave me alone and I'll let you live."