Another Walmart became the scene of a grisly shooting on Thursday in Evansville, Indiana. Things might have turned out a whole lot worse had it not been for the apparent bravery of one employee, said to have rescued a wounded woman from certain death.
An execution foiled by stealthy heroism
The Associated Press reported that 25-year-old Ronald Ray Mosley II stormed the breakroom of a Walmart off Red Bank Road just before 10 p.m..
Although there were roughly 40 employees and 40 shoppers in the Walmart at the time, Mosley reportedly had a particular target in mind: 28-year-old Amber Cook.
Cook’s mother Jenny Couch told WFIE-TV that the gunman targeted her daughter because he was in love with her boyfriend. According to Couch, the alleged gay obsessive couldn’t handle having his affections unreciprocated.
“He kept sending my daughter messages, anonymous, everything. He kept calling her, telling her that he was going to kill her, that he watched her walk her dog,” said Couch.
The Evansville Police Department said that Mosley previously worked for Walmart and had been arrested in May for multiple counts of battery charges against fellow employees. He was subsequently fired and those who who had been subjected to his violent outbursts were awarded restraining orders.
The EPD noted, “Based on the information at hand, we believe that Mosley was targeting employees at this particular Wal-Mart store.”
Mosley reportedly busted into the breakroom where employees had gathered for a meeting, armed with a handgun. According to police, he ordered all of the employees to stand against the back wall, and told Cook and a male employee to remain in the center of the room.
During the execution preamble, an employee named Heather managed to escape unseen.
According to the EPD, Mosley then shot Cook in the face. The male singled out for execution was, however, able to bolt out of the room. Mosley reportedly gave chase.
Before the suspect could inflict more harm, police arrived on the scene, drawing the gunman’s attention away from his would-be victim.
Mosley reportedly took aim at police police, firing multiple shots on multiple occasions inside the store.
While the gunman and police exchanged shots, Cook lay bloodied and alone in the breakroom, after all of the other employees ran for their lives — all but one.
The crackle of gunshots and the threat of death apparently did not dissuade Heather from returning to the breakroom.
Heather rendered aid to the wounded woman and took her into an adjacent room.
The EPD noted that Mosley returned to the breakroom “looking for the female victim but did not find her.”
The gunman attempted to flee via the parking lot, but was confronted by police outside, whom he shot at before retreating back into the building. Back inside the store, he resumed firing at officers, but was bested.
Police have released some bodycam footage of the gun battle:
RAW: Police bodycam from Walmart shooting in Evansvilleyoutu.be
Officers fired back, dropping the suspect. Mosley was pronounced dead at the scene, 12 minutes after the first 911 call was made and four minutes after police made their entrance.
The female victim survived the ordeal and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Indianapolis in stable condition.
Cook’s mother told WFIE, “For a few days they’re not going to be able to do anything. They’re going to see if the swelling and stuff goes down some, and then they’re going to talk about the surgeries she’s going to need.”
Heroic Heather
Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin said during a press conference, “I have no doubt that he was going back to finish what he started and we would probably have a dead victim today instead of one that’s alive.”
Bolin noted that Heather had called 911, took the victim into another room, locked the door, turned off the lights, and hid behind some equipment.
The police chief said Heather was an “absolute hero” on account of her quick thinking and selfless actions, as were the law enforcement officers who rushed into the building to restore order.
“I don’t throw the hero term around. Just wearing the badge or the uniform don’t make you a hero. But, when there’s an active shooter trying to kill people and you go running in, and you risk your life, that’s what we go in means,” said the chief.
“I watched a lot of video [of the incident] last night and everything I saw made me proud of the Evansville Police Department [and the] Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office,” said Bolin. “You see things from across the country that aren’t so heroic. Everything I saw here was exactly what we would want out of a professional police force.”
According to the EPD, officers “had to clear over 200,000 square feet while they were searching for Mosley and victims even during times when they were taking on gunfire.”
Gunman killed by police after shooting in Indiana Walmartyoutu.be
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