LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Lebanon Police Department (LPD) is still working to identify a man who allegedly opened fire outside of a Walmart late Saturday night.
According to police, officers were sent to a shots fired call at the Walmart along South Cumberland Street just after 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Authorities reported there was initially lots of confusion as people rapidly sought shelter and fled from the store.
At some point, Lebanon police put out a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area since the whereabouts of the suspect were unknown.
Aisle by aisle, and with AR-15’s readily available, law enforcement worked to clear the store.
Within 15 minutes of the store being evacuated, officers reportedly determined that the shooter was gone and no injuries had been reported.
Investigators told News 2 the incident is believed to have stemmed from some sort of altercation between two men in the store, which later escalated in the parking lot with at least one shot being fired outside the store’s grocery section.
Bodycam video showed the chaotic moments as police arrived and ordered people to safety.
“Officers arrived on scene within three minutes and immediately began clearing the Walmart there,” said Zach Patton, public information officer for the Lebanon Police Department.
Surveillance video provided by the police department shows a man in a toboggan hat leave the store. Police said he is believed to be the shooter.
Authorities told News 2 the man in the photo above got into an altercation with another shopper, and once outside, both men continued their disagreement.
In fact, the department shared surveillance video that showed the suspect holding what appeared to be a pistol in his right hand.
At some point during the exchange, police said the man in the toboggan fired at least one shot that hit the ground, which was practically at “point blank range” from the other individual. However, nobody was struck by the gunfire.
The alleged shooter reportedly fled from the Walmart in a light-colored four-door vehicle.
Officials said they spoke with the other man who was involved in the altercation and are working to determine what led to the violent incident.
“We are still trying to understand how these people knew each other, if all,” added Patton.
If you recognize the gunman or have any information about the incident you are asked to call the Lebanon Police Department.
