Walmart Shooting Suspects

Cortez Scott and Deandre Lockett are charge after shots were fired outside the Skyland Boulevard Walmart on March 30, 2016. No one was injured.

(Tuscaloosa Metro Homicide)

Two Tuscaloosa men face charges after police say they fired shots in the parking lot of the Skyland Boulevard Walmart earlier this week, apparently in retaliation for earlier gunfire.

Authorities responded to the store just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday on a report the building had been struck by a projectile. When patrol officers arrived on the scene, they learned a black Jeep Cherokee had been involved, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Capt. Gary Hood.

Investigators found the Cherokee in the parking lot and determined it was occupied by five females, Hood said. Police interviewed those five females, and also collected 15 shell casings from the parking lot.

Hood said they learned there was a previous altercation in the 500 block of Highland Oaks Drive involving a 20-year-old black male and a 16-year-old black female. The 20-year-old left after the altercations, along with his brother and other friends. Later, the brother and others returned to Highland Oaks and were shot at, but not hit. Police found shell casings at that scene as well.

Investigators said the shooting at Walmart took place later, and was in retaliation for the shooting incident at the Highland Oaks address. Witnesses identified the Walmart shooting suspects as 22-year-old Cortez Scott and 21-year-old Deandre Lockett.

Scott is charged with one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied building and three counts of discharging a firearm into an unoccupied vehicle.

Locket also is charged with one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied building and three counts of discharging a firearm into an unoccupied vehicles. Lockett remains at large.

Hood said the investigation is continuing.