No arrests made yet following Mount Vernon Walmart shooting; 3 of injured taken to Seattle
The Mount Vernon Police Department have not yet made any arrests following Sunday night’s shooting at Walmart that injured five people. Three of the injured have been taken to Seattle for treatment.
Onsite investigation into the incident wrapped up at approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday, July 18, according to an updated news release from the department. Detectives are now reviewing video of the incident and interviewing witnesses.
A 72-year-old male customer and a 24-year-old male employee of the store, along with a 19-year-old man suspected to be involved in the incident, were taken to Harborview Medical Center for further treatment for their injuries, according to the release.
Officers were called at approximately 9:50 p.m. Sunday, July 17, to the Walmart in the 2300 block of Freeway Drive of Mount Vernon for a report that there had been shots fired inside the building, according to a Mount Vernon Police Department release posted to Facebook at 2:40 a.m. Monday. The store is located approximately 30 miles south of Bellingham.
Police investigation found that a group of men arrived at the Walmart, entered the store and got in an argument with a second group of men that was already in the store, the post reads. During the argument, shots were fired.
Police reported that five people were taken to Skagit Valley Hospital with injuries suffered in the incident, though two of them arrived in private vehicles. Included among the injured was the 72-year-old male customer and the 24-year-old male employee, along with three other 19-year-old men, who are believed to have been involved in the argument, according to the statement.
“With the information available now, we believe the events that led up to this crime were between the two groups involved,” the release states. “There is no indication that this was a situation where individuals entered the store intending an active threat event.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Mount Vernon Police Department at 360-336-6271 or 360-428-3211.
Additionally, Mount Vernon Police reported that after the store was determined to be safe and all victims had been accounted for, they located a puppy left in a shopping cart inside the store, Monday’s release stated.
Using social media posts, officers determined a shopper was separated from the puppy at the time of the shooting, according to the release, and attempts to reach the shopper have not yet been successful.
“If you know the owner and can assist in reunification, please contact the Mount Vernon Police Department,” the release read.
This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 1:10 PM.
