Mom, 2 year old fled east Charlotte Walmart as armed person prompted evacuation
A reported gunman inside an east Charlotte Walmart sent dozens of scared shoppers scrambling Tuesday morning and by Thursday police said they have not located the person suspected of pulling out a gun.
There was no shooting inside the store on East Independence Boulevard but one shopper told the Observer she fled with her 2-year-old child after hearing alarms sound. Crystal Manion, 36, of Charlotte posted on NextDoor about the experience and many people responded, some confused by what happened and others looking for information from authorities.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police told the Observer said they responded to reports of an armed person inside the Walmart. Police said they heard that there had been a fight which led to someone pointing a gun at another person. The victim did not want to file a police report, said CMPD spokesman Officer Tom Hildebrand.
“We appreciate the quick response of local law enforcement and are glad that no customers or associates were injured,” said a spokesperson for Walmart.
Employees, according to Manion, directed customers inside the store to run toward an exit near the back of Walmart. Manion said her son was in a shopping cart as she was shopping for picture frames to redecorate her home office.
“I heard the word ‘gun’ and turned and I could see down the main aisle a bunch of people running and yelling,” she said. “ ... At that point I was like ‘this is real.’”
Acting out of instinct, Manion said she continued to push the cart toward the back of the store since her child was still buckled into the seat until someone told her to pick up her child and leave the cart behind, she said.
Manion estimated there were around 100 people outside near her, some crying and calling loved ones on the phone.
“That’s when the fear set in,” she said. “ ... there was such uncertainty (I thought) I just need to get out of here.”
When police officers arrived, they directed people away from the store, Manion said. She took her child to her car and drove away to her home in Country Club Heights.
