Suspect arrested after attack on two men and a woman that police said appeared to be random with no indications it was an act of terrorism

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Authorities in Colorado have arrested a man who walked into a Walmart and opened fire with a handgun, killing two men and a woman on Wednesday night.

Scott Ostrem, 47 was arrested on Thursday morning, about 14 hours after he fled the store in a car. Authorities used security video to help identify him.

The shooting appeared to be random and there were no indications it was an act of terrorism, Thornton police said.

“This is a very heinous act,” a spokesman said. “We don’t know exactly what the motive of the person was, but it was certainly a terrible act.”

Two men died inside the store, which is about 10 miles north of Denver in a busy shopping centre. The woman died in hospital.



Authorities did not immediately release any other information about the victims.

Aaron Stephens, 44, was queuing to use a self-service checkout when he heard a single shot followed by two bursts of gunfire before people started running towards the exits.

“The employees started screaming. Customers were screaming. They were running like crazy, and I ran out too because I didn’t want to get killed,” he said.

Guadalupe Perez was inside the store with her young son when she heard what she thought was a balloon popping. A Walmart employee told her someone was shooting, then Perez saw people running away and yelling: “Let’s go. Let’s go. Leave the groceries.”

She added: “You see all these things in the news and you go through it, it’s scary. But thank God we’re OK and nothing happened to us.”

Investigators, including special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were reviewing security video and interviewing witnesses.

Avila said police did not yet know how many rounds were fired.

A Walmart spokesman, Ragan Dickens, said the company was working with investigators.