Florida City Walmart shooting: Man dies, 2 hurt after fight between 2 groups erupts in gunfire
MIAMI — A fight between two groups of people inside a Walmart in Florida City erupted in gunfire Wednesday afternoon, leaving one person dead and two others hurt in an incident that sent panicked shoppers and workers running for safety, Miami-Dade police said.
One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting at the Walmart located at 33501 S Dixie Highway near the Florida Turnpike, according to police.
Investigators said the man who died after being flown to Jackson South Trauma Center had been involved in the altercation before the shooting began. Police later identified him as Nathaniel Baez, 23.
Another man who suffered a gunshot wound to his foot was an innocent bystander while a woman who suffered a head injury did so while trying to run from the scene, according to police. Officials said five other people were treated at the scene and released.
Police did not immediately identify the man who was in custody.
A police spokesperson said there was a fight between two groups of three people when someone pulled out a gun and opened fire shortly before 3 pm. Police did not say what the fight was about.
As of Wednesday, police said they were searching for four other people who were involved in the fight because they fled following the shooting.
The incident sent a wave of panic through shoppers and workers.
“Everybody started running, then I hear people saying get out of the store,” one witness said. “Next thing you know people are pushing me and I end up out of the store. I mean I thought I was going to die.”
“The first shot boom! (and) I said, ‘What’s that?'” witness Doreen Fine said. “Then it stopped and then boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!”
Live video from the scene showed a large police presence outside the store and people standing outside in the parking lot.
“The Florida City Police Department immediately responded and that’s when they found two individuals who were suffering from apparent gun shot wounds,” said Miami-Dade police spokesperson Alvaro Zabaleta.
CBS News Miami obtained cell phone video from inside the store, showing customers looking on in horror as people tend to a man who collapsed in a hair salon after he was shot in the abdomen.
“I heard five shots, the guy was shot five times,” said a woman named Johanni, who witnessed the shooting. “He went running and fell in the floor in the salon.”
Miami-Dade police confirmed to CBS News Miami that they were assisting Florida City police with a shooting investigation and there was a command center located at the back of the store.
In a written statement to CBS News Miami, Walmart said: “We are 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.”
Video posted to social media showed a frenetic scene in which people were yelling or screaming and another person laying on the ground.
“As soon as I heard four bangs like screaming and like a stampede of people,” said witness Ana Lucia.
🚨#BREAKING: Massive Police Response as Injuries Reported in a Shooting Incident inside a Walmart store
Currently, Multiple Law enforcements and other emergency personnel are on the scene to a shooting incident inside a Walmart in Florida City,… pic.twitter.com/wmbbqTT9tv
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 19, 2023
Another tweet on social media showed a man talking about the shooting and the sound of gunfire that he head before he exited the store along with other customers.
As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the parking lot of the store was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape and a large police presence was still at the store.
CBS News Miami reporter Anna McAllister contributed to this report.
