Witnesses describe fatal officer-involved shooting at local Walmart
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The latest details on an officer-involved shooting at a Walmart near Spring Mountain and Rainbow on Friday morning. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- A man opened fire on Metro officers at a local Walmart at about 4:30 Friday morning. Patrol officers were investigating a suspicious couple, allegedly trying to make a large purchase with a fake bank card.
"It was like a series of long, really fast shots," says Ashley Martinez, who was shopping in the store, when gunshots rang out. "All I could think of, is how many people are there? Are they after all of us?"
"At first, I thought about hiding, and then I thought, I don't want to be here if this guy walks around shooting people," says Ashley's husband, Joseph.
Walmart shoppers and employees began running to find an exit. They couldn't go to the front of the store where the main doors are, because that's where the shots were coming from.
READ MORE: Man dead, cop wounded in shooting at Walmart near Rainbow and Spring Mountain
"We ran through the Garden Center, and found a door," Ashley says. "It was dark, because that area of the store was closed. But my husband kicked in the door, and we all ran out."
"We just ran through the parking lot to get as far away as we could," Joseph says. "I called 911."
Little did they know, police were already inside, involved in the altercation. A group of patrol officers were called to investigate a man and woman, trying to make a fraudulent purchase.
"They confronted the couple, and when officers were attempting to take the male subject into custody, he pulled a handgun from his waistband and began to open fire," says Lt. Lew Roberts, with Metro Homicide.
The officers shot back, striking the suspect. One of the officers was hit in the chest and arm, by the suspect's gunfire. A bulletproof vest saved his life.
"He's got a very large red mark in an area of the body, that if a bullet had entered there, it could have been deadly," says Clark County Sheriff, Doug Gillespie. "He's very lucky."
The male suspect died at UMC. The woman, who was with him, was taken into custody.
The officer who was shot is recovering, with his family by his side.
Walmart executives say they appreciate the quick response from police, in protecting their associates and customers.
They are thankful that there were no other serious injuries, and their thoughts are with those who were affected by the incident.
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