New Details in Walmart Robbery and Shooting, Suspects Remain At Large

Gwinnett County Police officers are releasing additional details about a Jan. 12 attack in the parking lot of the Rockbridge Road Walmart.

In a press release today, police said that the incident was actually two separate incidents -- a robbery and a shooting, which happened about 2:50 a.m. at the Walmart located at 1825 Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain.

In the first incident, a 20-year-old victim arrived at the Walmart about 2:50 a.m., pulling into a parking space near the main entrance to the store. As he walked toward the building, he was approached by two black male suspects, according to police.

One of the suspects was armed with a handgun and demanded the victim’s keys and wallet. After obtaining the keys, the first suspect went to the victim’s 2010 Honda Fit, started it, and remained inside, according to police.

Just before the robbery, the second victim -- a 35-year-old employee at Walmart -- arrived in the parking lot. As the man emerged from his vehicle, he saw the first victim in a conversation with one of the suspects. 

Police said that the man did not see a gun. 

"The second victim only speaks Albanian, and did not understand what was occurring," police said in a press release. "The second victim passed close to the other two men, and the suspect addressed him. The second victim, not understanding, continued toward the entrance.

"As the second victim continued toward the entrance of Walmart, the second suspect fired one shot, striking the second victim in the thigh. At that point, both victims ran into the Walmart, and the second suspect ran to the waiting vehicle." 

The two suspects then fled the scene using the first victim’s stolen Honda Fit, police said.

The shooting victim eventually was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

When police arrived to the store, detectives reviewed security video footage, which showed the suspects arrived in a vehicle that was left at the scene. That vehicle turned out to be stolen during a carjacking in Atlanta.

Atlanta Police located the stolen Honda Fit in their jurisdiction on Sunday. A handgun matching the description of the weapon used in the shooting was discovered inside the Honda Fit.

Police do not have a good description of the suspects, who remain at large.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (404) 557-TIPS (8477) or Gwinnett Police detectives at 770-513-5300.

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