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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 11 February 2020

Gunman dead, 2 officers hurt in shooting at Arkansas Walmart

tions saw no business Mon- Walmart store has been the
day afternoon, as they scene of a shooting. A man
were within the police pe- was injured in a shooting at
rimeter. a Walmart in Memphis ear-
Mary Martin, who said she lier this month, three peo-
was Gibbs' aunt, went ple were fatally shot at a
to the Walmart after she Walmart in Duncan, Okla-
heard about the shooting. homa, in November, and a
She said Gibbs didn't have gunman killed 22 people at
a job, but had previously a Walmart in El Paso, Texas,
worked as a DJ. on Aug. 3.
"He was a good person. He The retailer came under
loved his family," she said. criticism for having insuffi-
When asked about the cient security at the El Paso
description of Gibbs "talk- store on that day and has
ing out of his head" at the since quietly expanded se-
store, Martin responded: curity at all its stores in the
"That doesn't sound like city to include an armed
Bobby." It's not the first time off-duty police officer and
in recent months that a a security guard.q

Forrest City, Ark., Mayor Cedric Williams, left, holds a news conference after two police officers Pentagon: 109 troops
were wounded and a gunman was killed in an exchange of gunfire at a Walmart store in eastern
Arkansas Monday morning Feb. 10, 2020. suffer brain injuries from
Associated Press

By ADRIAN SAINZ identified the suspect as cutor to review the officers' Iran strike
Associated Press Bobby Joe Gibbs, 40, of use of deadly force.
FORREST CITY, Ark. (AP) — Forrest City, though the Tammy Priddy, 57, works at By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Two police officers were state crime lab has yet not Simmons Eye Center in the Associated Press
wounded and a gunman confirmed his identity. Walmart. She said she was WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of U.S. service mem-
was killed Monday morning Lee identified the injured of- preparing patient records bers diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries has shot up
in an exchange of gunfire ficers as Lt. Eric Varner and for the day when she heard to more than 100, the Pentagon said Monday, as more
at a Walmart store in east- Detective Eugene Watling- eight shots. She said she hid troops suffer the aftereffects of the Iranian ballistic missile
ern Arkansas, authorities ton. Both are assigned to under a counter in the lab attack early last month in Iraq.
said. the criminal investigation until the gunshots stopped. The department said the latest total is 109 military mem-
Forrest City Police Chief department and neither "The first two shots kind of bers who have been treated for mild TBI, a significant in-
Deon Lee said one of the was wearing a bullet-resis- startled me, and then a co- crease over the 64 reported a little over a week ago.
officers was taken to a tant vest, Lee said. worker came in and said it The number of injuries has been steadily increasing since
hospital about 45 miles (70 The mayor heaped praise was gunfire," Priddy said. the Pentagon began releasing data on the injuries about
kilometers) to the east in on the officers. She and a coworker ran a week after the Jan. 8 attack at al-Asad Air Base in Iraq.
Memphis where he was "Due to their heroism and from the building and of- Pentagon officials have warned that the number would
in surgery, and the initial quick response, no civilians ficers outside the Walmart continue to change.
prognosis is "he's going to were injured," Forrest City ordered her to get as far The department said 76 of the service members have
be OK." Mayor Cedric Williams said. away from the building as returned to duty, while 26 are in Germany or the United
The officers responded to Walmart spokesman Scott possible. She was not in- States for treatment, and another seven are on their way
the Forrest City Walmart af- Pope said the company jured. Police formed a pe- from Iraq to Germany for evaluation and treatment.
ter someone called police was helping with the po- rimeter with yellow crime Defense Secretary Mark Esper told Pentagon reporters
to report a man who was lice investigation. Walmart scene tape around the more than a week ago that the department was study-
making threats and was is based in Bentonville, Ar- Walmart parking lot after ing ways to prevent brain injuries on the battlefield and to
"kind of talking out of his kansas. Once the Arkansas the shooting. Police cars improve diagnosis and treatment.
head," Lee said at a news State Police Criminal Inves- with flashing lights blocked Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
conference Monday after- tigation Division completes roads to the store. The store Staff, said it's possible, in some cases, that symptoms of TBI
noon. Arkansas State Po- its investigation of the was closed and employees from the Iranian missile attack won't become apparent
lice Spokesman Bill Sadler shooting, it will forward the were sent home. A small for a year or two. He said the Army is in the early stages of
said local authorities have case file to the local prose- strip mall and two gas sta- diagnosis and therapy for the troops.q