Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Work dispute behind Texas Walmart shooting

A man shot dead by police after holding two people hostage in a Texas Walmart store was an employee who had a work dispute with a manager.

Officers fatally shot an armed man inside a Walmart store in Amarillo, Texas, after he took two people hostage, including a manager with whom he had a work-related dispute, according to police.

Amarillo police identified the suspect as 54-year-old store employee Mohammad Moghaddam and said neither hostage was injured.

Police said the incident began over a dispute related to a promotion and called Tuesday's incident a "workplace violence event".

"This individual had an ongoing difference, dispute or feud with a manager at Walmart," said Amarillo Police Sgt Brent Barbee.

"There is absolutely no information or reason to believe that this is a terrorist event."

Officers responded to an active shooter call at the store around 11am on Tuesday, amid reports that an armed person was inside and may have had hostages.

According to investigators, Moghaddam entered the store and fired at least one shot towards the ceiling. Police don't believe the suspect, who was armed with a handgun, fired any other shots.

Authorities initially believed he took a hostage and went into an office in the back of the store, according to a police statement.

"We knew there were hostages inside the business, so (SWAT) went in with the intent to free the hostages," Barbee said.

Around 12.20pm, SWAT officers watched what they had believed was the only hostage come out of the office. The officers entered the room and discovered the second hostage.

"The suspect was still armed with a handgun and was a threat to the hostage and the officers. Two SWAT officers fired shots which hit the suspect. Initial information is that the suspect died immediately," police said in a statement.

It was not immediately known if the other hostage was a store employee or how that person became a hostage, Barbee said.

No other injuries were reported.

Walmart spokesman Brian Nick released a statement earlier on Tuesday saying all store associates and customers were safe.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world