A man has been arrested after police say he shot a stranger in the face inside a Walmart store in Maryland.
De’Andre Edward Eason, 20, has been charged with shooting and wounding a man inside the Walmart store on the 3200 block of North Ridge Road in Ellicott City, Howard County police said Friday.
Police were called to the store about midnight Sunday, Oct. 8 for a report of a fight inside the store with shots fired.
Officers arrived and found a 23-year-old man with a non-fatal gunshot wound to the side of his face.
Detectives believe the men "exchanged words and gestures as they passed, the context of which is unknown." The man was leaving the store and Eason was entering.
The man turned around and walked back into the store to confront Eason, police said. Eason pulled out his gun, shot at the man and then fled the Walmart store, police said.
Police previously said that the shooting victim then went to a vehicle in the parking lot and fired "multiple retaliatory shots" toward the store. No one was hit by that second volley of gunfire.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
The shooting victim was taken to a hospital and later released.
There is no indication that the men knew each other, police said. The investigation is ongoing.
Eason has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, assault and handgun violations.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov.
