A fight between two groups inside a Walmart in a Miami suburb erupted in gunfire Wednesday afternoon, leaving one man dead, Miami-Dade police said. A suspect has been taken into custody.
The shooting, which sent panicked shoppers running for safety, occurred at a Walmart in Florida City shortly before 3 p.m. local time. A police spokesperson said a fight broke out between two groups of about three people, during which someone took out a gun and opened fire.
Investigators said one man, who had been involved in the altercation, died from his gunshot wounds after being flown to a local hospital. He was later identified by police as Nathaniel Baez, 23, CBS Miami reported.
“As soon as you hear those four bangs, screaming, it was like a stampede of people running,” one woman told CBS Miami.
Another man who sustained a gunshot wound to the foot during the ordeal was believed to be an innocent bystander and a woman suffered a head injury while trying to run from the scene, police said.
Officials said five other people were treated at the scene and released.
It’s unclear what initially prompted the altercation. Police did not immediately identify the suspect who was taken in custody.
Police said they were also searching for four other people who were involved in the fight but had fled the area. Miami-Dade police and Florida City police are investigating.
In a written statement provided to CBS News Miami, Walmart said that it was “deeply saddened by what took place in our Florida City store, and our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones. The store is closed at this time. We will work closely with local law enforcement through the course of their investigation and will refer further questions to police.”
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