A 69-year-old man has died following a shooting at a Walmart in Red Deer, Alta., on Friday night, RCMP said.
Police said officers responded to the South Red Deer Walmart at 6:47 p.m. and “determined that shots were fired in the front entrance of the store.”
RCMP said their investigation indicates it was a targeted shooting.
“The emergency response team attended, as well as police dog services and members from surrounding areas,” Const. Shelley Nasheim said.
“When we have a situation like this and we know that the suspects have fled the area, we try to flood the area ourselves and try to cover every aspect and do our best to locate the people that were involved.”
Police said the man killed was the only victim in the attack and have not indicated whether a suspect or suspects have been arrested.
The victim’s identity has not been released.
Nasheim said the Walmart was put on lockdown immediately after the shooting. Buses were then made available to help employees and customers inside the store at the time get home safely.
Gabriel Potter said he was at the store when the shooting occurred.
“They came on the P.A. and locked down the store,” he said. “They said that we wouldn’t be able to get to our cars and that they’d be arranging buses.”
Richeous Winthrop said he was just leaving the store when he learned something had happened.
“We were just getting out of Walmart and a guard pulled me aside,” Winthrop said.
“He said… ‘Get back in. Don’t look out the windows.'”
Potter said staff at the Walmart let customers use their phone and provided people with water as the ordeal unfolded.
The entire parking lot of the Walmart remained closed overnight. It was reopened at noon on Saturday and owners were allowed to come to pick up their vehicles.
The Walmart has also since reopened.
Nasheim said misinformation on social media made it difficult for RCMP to get accurate information out to the public.
“It’s best not to report things unless you know for certain that they’re true. If you have to do it then at least make sure you have the right information,” she said.
Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call the Red Deer RCMP detachment at 403-391-4034. Tips can also be anonymously submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or contacting them online.