Thread: Active shooter, possible hostages at Amarillo, Texas Walmart

Active shooter, possible hostages at Amarillo, Texas Walmart

Published June 14, 2016 FoxNews.com

(Google Street View)


DEVELOPING: Police rushed to a Walmart in Amarillo, Texas Tuesday on reports that shots were fired and a gunman may have taken at least one hostage.

City officials described it as an "active shooter incident" in a tweet. Witnesses told KVII an employee took another employee hostage.

Police were looking for a Somali man wearing khaki pants, KFDA added. Officers reportedly were evacuating shoppers from the west side of the store.

There were no initial reports of deaths or injuries.

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CityofAmarillo
✔@CityofAmarillo

The City's Office of Emergency Mgt., @AmarilloPD and@AmarilloFire are on the scene of an active shooter incident, Walmart, I-27 & Georgia.
9:30 AM - 14 Jun 2016 · Amarillo, TX, United States

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Jeff Nunn, the president of a nearby bank, told the Amarillo Globe-News that helicopters and roughly 20 police and emergency vehicles rushed to the store. His bank and a day care center reportedly went on lockdown.

Police closed off at least one nearby road off I-27.

"Please avoid the area so that officers can focus on the scene and not traffic," the Amarillo Police Dept. said in a statement.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/14...s-walmart.html

Terrible. Not again. Our government is so inept.

Police were looking for a Somali man wearing khaki pants, KFDA added. Officers reportedly were evacuating shoppers from the west side of the store.

SWAT team shoots suspect who took hostages at Amarillo, Texas Walmart

Published June 14, 2016 FoxNews.com

(KCIT)


DEVELOPING: A SWAT team shot and apparently killed a suspect who took hostages at a Walmart in Amarillo, Texas Tuesday afternoon, police announced, adding that all hostages were safe.

Nearly an hour after city officials reported an "active shooter incident," police said they had entered the Walmart and there was no "ongoing" shooting.

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(KCIT)


"We do consider this a work-place violence situation at this point," the Randall County Sheriff's Office told Fox News. One store employee told KFDA the gunman earlier released a worker and the store manager but was still inside the Walmart.

Witnesses told KVII an employee took another employee hostage.

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CityofAmarillo
✔@CityofAmarillo

The City's Office of Emergency Mgt., @AmarilloPD and@AmarilloFire are on the scene of an active shooter incident, Walmart, I-27 & Georgia.
9:30 AM - 14 Jun 2016 · Amarillo, TX, United States

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Police said they were looking for a Somali man wearing khaki pants, KFDA added. Officers reportedly were evacuating shoppers from the west side of the store in the Texas Panhandle.

Jeff Nunn, the president of a nearby bank, told the Amarillo Globe-News that helicopters and roughly 20 police and emergency vehicles rushed to the store. His bank and a day care center reportedly went on lockdown.

Police closed nearby streets off I-27. "Please avoid the area so that officers can focus on the scene and not traffic," the Amarillo Police Dept. said in a statement.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/14...s-walmart.html

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The Latest: Police Name Suspect Fatally Shot at Wal-Mart

• By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AMARILLO, Texas — Jun 14, 2016, 5:50 PM ET


The Latest on police responding to Amarillo, Texas, Wal-Mart amid reports that an armed person was at the store (all times local):

4:35 p.m.
Authorities say the man confronted by police inside a Wal-Mart store was fatally shot by officers after he took two people hostage.

The Amarillo Police Department released a brief statement late Tuesday afternoon identifying the suspect as 54-year-old Mohammad Moghaddam. Police say he took two people hostage, including a manager with whom he had a work-related dispute.

No other details have been released about Moghaddam or what may have led to the incident. Police say neither hostage was injured.

Police said earlier in the day that officers responded to a reported shooting around 11 a.m. amid reports that an armed person inside the store had taken hostages. Police later said the suspect was shot by a police SWAT crew.

This item has been updated to correct the suspect's age to 54, not 45, according to a revised statement from police.
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2:45 p.m.
Amarillo police say at least one person was taken hostage by a male suspect inside a local Wal-Mart as police responded to a reported shooting at the store.
Police Sgt. Brent Barbee said in an email that "one or more hostages" were taken hostage late Tuesday morning during what police called a "workplace violence-type event." Police said earlier Tuesday that the suspect was shot by officers and "is apparently dead," though no updates have been provided.
Wal-Mart spokesman Brian Nick released a statement saying store associates and customers are safe. Nick thanked officers, saying: "This was a very difficult situation and we are thankful for the quick response from law enforcement."
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12:45 p.m.
Police say a suspect has been shot and is apparently dead after officers responded to a reported shooting inside a Wal-Mart store in Amarillo, Texas.
The Amarillo Police Department released a brief statement saying hostages inside the store are safe and an investigation is underway. No details were immediately provided, but police urged residents to avoid the area.
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12:40 p.m.
Police say reports that an armed person possibly holding hostages at an Amarillo, Texas, Wal-Mart "appears to be a workplace violence type event."
The Amarillo Police Department says in a statement that there are no confirmed gunshot victims at the store as of early Tuesday afternoon.
The department says officers are inside the store and that there is "no shooting ongoing at this moment." Police said earlier Tuesday that officers responded amid reports of an armed person inside who may have had hostages.
Police are urging residents to avoid the area.
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12:30 p.m.
Police say there are no confirmed gunshot victims at a Wal-Mart in Amarillo, Texas, amid reports that an armed person was at the store.
The Amarillo Police Department released a statement Tuesday saying officers are now inside the store and that there is "no shooting ongoing at this moment." Police said earlier Tuesday that officers responded amid reports of an armed person inside who may have had hostages.
Police are urging residents to avoid the area.
The city released a statement saying emergency officials were "on the scene of an active shooter incident" at the store and there was no immediate word of injuries.
Authorities didn't immediately say what may have prompted the incident in Amarillo, a city in the Texas Panhandle. Some nearby streets were closed as a precaution.
———
12:20 p.m.
Police say officers are on the scene of a "reported shooting" at a Wal-Mart in Amarillo, Texas.
The Amarillo Police Department released a statement just before noon Tuesday saying they were at the store amid reports of an armed person inside who may have hostages. Police are urging residents to avoid the area.
A statement from the city says emergency officials are "are on the scene of an active shooter incident" at the store and there was no immediate word of injuries.
Authorities didn't immediately say what may have prompted the incident in Amarillo, a city in the Texas Panhandle. Randall County sheriff's deputies closed off some nearby streets, including an off ramp to Interstate 27, as a precaution.

Further details weren't immediately available

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/l...-dead-39850955

Turns out the guy was from Iran.

Mohammad Moghaddam: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know


Published 5:39 pm EDT, June 14, 2016 Updated 1:01 am EDT, June 15, 2016

The scene of the active shooter and hostage situation in Amarillo, Texas. (Google Maps)

The gunman who was shot dead by police afteropening fire inside a Texas Walmart where he worked before taking two people hostage has been identified by police as Mohammad Moghaddam.

Police are calling it a “workplace violence” incident.

The 54-year-old suspect was shot by a SWAT officer Tuesday afternoon after holding two people hostage at the Amarillo store, including a store manager who he had a dispute with, for more than an hour, police said in a press release. No one else was injured.

Few details about Moghaddam could be found. A photo of him was not available. Police said more information will be released in another press release.

Here’s what you need to know:

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1. Two Hostages Were Released Unharmed & No One Other Than Moghaddam Was Shot

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Karen_Welch @KWelch806

The view of the active shooter scene at Walmart from I-27 & Austin, northeast corner of the store. @PanhandlePBS
10:15 AM - 14 Jun 2016

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The incident was first reported about 11 a.m., police said. After about an hour and 20 minutes, police said the suspect had been shot dead by officers.

“Two hostages in the room were released and are not injured,” police said in a press release. No other gunshot victims were found during a search of the store.

According to a press release, the investigation into the incident at the 4215 Canyon Drive Walmart remains ongoing.

“The initial call of an armed person/shooting possible barricaded suspect call came in at about 11:06 a.m., Amarillo Police said. “APD and many other agencies responded to the call. One or more hostages were taken by a male suspect inside the store. APD and officers from other agencies responded and entered the store, and APD SWAT officers also responded.”

An Amarillo Police SWAT officer “came into contact with the suspect and shot him” at 12:22 p.m.

The case is being investigated by the department’s Special Crimes Unit.

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2. Moghaddam Was Angry Because a Co-Worker Was Promoted Over Him

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Simon Marks @SimonMarksFSN

Amarillo PD: Hostage is a fellow employee of the gunman. "SWAT teams are on scene....we are trying to get in contact" with gunman.
10:25 AM - 14 Jun 2016

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Police said at a press conference the gunman was a Walmart employee and they are considering it to be “workplace violence.”

Moghaddam was upset that a co-worker had been promoted over him, the Amarillo Globe-News reports.

He took his manager, Glen Jones, and an unidentified second person hostage in Jones’ office, according to the newspaper.

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3. He Was From Iran& Lived in Amarillo With His Wife & Children

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Karen_Welch @KWelch806

APD reported suspect shot by SWAT & killed, hostages safe.@PanhandlePBS
10:45 AM - 14 Jun 2016

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Mohammad Moghaddam was from Iran, the Amarillo Globe-News reports. He lived in Amarillo with his wife and children.

His wife, Leila Gachlou, was brought to the Walmart by police and gave them a picture of her husband, according to dispatches.

The family moved to Amarillo from Iran eight years ago, his children, Adel, 30, and Atefeh, 27, told the Globe-News. His wife also worked at Walmart.

“I saw him this morning. He was happy and ate breakfast and then went to work,” Adel told the newspaper.

It was originally reported by KFDA-TV and police that Moghaddam was from Somalia.

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4. He Was Wearing a Walmart Shirt & Khaki Pants

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Lisa Carr @FirstTimeOut

More than an hour since #Hostage taken by gunmen @Walmart in#Amarillo
10:31 AM - 14 Jun 2016

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Moghaddam was wearing a Walmart shirt and khaki pants, according to witnesses, but it is not known if he was still an employee of the store.

Police have not said how long Moghaddam has worked there or what his job was.

“As soon as we heard about the situation at our store in Amarillo, Texas, we acted immediately,” Walmart said in a statement.

“All customers and our two associates who were held hostage are safe. This was a very difficult situation and we are thankful for the quick response from law enforcement

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5. 911 Callers Say He Was Shooting & Heard People Screaming

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Karen_Welch @KWelch806

Armed Randall Co deputy blocking street behind Walmart at I-27 & Georgia St where an active shooterreportedly is.
9:56 AM - 14 Jun 2016

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The initial call was for a suspect who was actively shooting inside the store, according to police radio dispatches.

Several people were inside the store and “screaming” could be heard.

You can listen to the initial police and fire radio dispatches below:

Police, firefighters and ambulances swarmed the Walmart area and officers got everyone inside the building out. They then searched the store and did not find any gunshot victims.

Moghaddam is believed to have fired multiple shots into the ceiling near the store’s checkout area, the Amarillo Globe-News reports.

http://heavy.com/news/2016/06/mohamm...achlou-photos/