The man, who spoke on the condition that his name not be used, said he saw a black man walk up to a vehicle on the north side of the building, and he heard a noise that he at first thought was fireworks. Then he heard it again, and saw a man run from the car holding what appeared to be a shotgun.

"At first I thought, 'Why are they throwing firecrackers?' It sounded like M-80s," he said. "Then I saw the guy running with a shotgun. He ran to the car, opened the door and threw it in."

The witness described the car as a small tan or gold car, which the shooter drove away with its headlights off onto Weeks Road. He said he did not see where the car went from there.

He said the victim was also a black man, who walked to the store holding his face. Employees who talked with him afterward said it appeared the victim knew the man who shot him, the Connecticut man said.

"I couldn't believe it. Who would do something like that in Wal-Mart with cameras all over the place?" he asked. "I stayed here at Wal-Mart because I was thinking it was safe."

State Police said it remained unclear late Wednesday whether the man fled in a green van or car, but the Connecticut man said he was certain it was a tan or gold car. The search was ongoing late Wednesday.