Visits: 2
Indiana police said Friday that heroic actions taken by a Walmart employee and law enforcement officers kept a gunman who shot and injured a female employee from continuing to do harm.
Ronald Ray Mosley II, a 25-year-old former employee of the store, walked into a store break room where employees were meeting late Thursday night and shot the woman in the face with a 9mm handgun.
She was the only person injured, according to the Evansville Police Department.
A male employee, whom Mosley was also targeting, ran out of the room and Mosley followed him. Another female employee saw that Mosley had fled the room and called 911 before taking the victim into another room, locking the door and turning out the lights before Mosley returned looking for the injured woman.
INDIANA WALMART GUNMAN TARGETED EMPLOYEES AT MEETING, LEFT SUICIDE NOTE: POLICE
Sgt. Anna Gray said officers were within the building within four minutes of the 911 call.
There were about 40 Walmart employees and 40 shoppers in the store at the time.
Mosley was shot and killed by officers.
Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin called the female employee who called 911 a hero and lauded her for her bravery.
“I have no doubt that he was going back to finish what he started and we would probably have a dead victim today instead of one that’s alive,” he said during a press conference.
The woman she helped was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital and was in stable condition, according to Gray.
According to Bolin, the shooter had left a suicide note and “he absolutely planned to die.”
INDIANA WALMART SHOOTING LEAVES AT LEAST 1 VICTIM INJURED, POLICE NAME SUSPECT WHO DIED
Gray said investigators did not yet know when Mosley acquired the handgun or how many shots he fired.
Mosley was fired from the store after being charged with four misdemeanor counts of battery on May 18, 2022, after he attacked four co-workers.
A probable cause affidavit filed in the case states that Mosley told authorities that he had issues with people at work and “lost control.”
Just hours before the shooting, Mosley had appeared for a progress hearing. He had pleaded guilty to the battery charges and was complying with mental health treatment through the court.
Winston Lin, chief deputy prosecutor for the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s office, said Friday that “red flag” law court proceedings had not been initiated against Mosley.
“The entire Walmart family is shocked by the senseless violence that occurred at our Evansville store, and our hearts are with our associates at this time,” the retail giant told Fox News in a statement. “As we learn more, we’ll do everything we can to support our associates as they cope with this tragedy.”
“We’re thankful for the local first responders and will continue working with law enforcement through the course of their investigation,” Walmart added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.