A community is reeling after a deadly shooting at a Fayette County Walmart, with the alleged 19-year-old shooter, Adrian Jelks, remaining at large. A Walmart employee is accused of the heinous act which left another 19-year-old, Antavius Holton, dead and a 9-year-old girl injured. According to WSBTV, the Fayetteville police reported shots fired around 10 p.m. Friday night and found the victims soon after. Holton succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, while the child remains in stable condition.
In the midst of police efforts to track down Jelks, who is considered armed and dangerous, police apprehended Sandra Romero-Nunez. Charged with party to the crimes of murder and aggravated assault, her alleged role is yet to be detailed by authorities. During her first appearance in court, a Fayette County Magistrate judge denied bond, referring her case to superior court, while Jelks left his vehicle shortly after fleeing the scene and has evaded capture since, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
The violence has shaken local patrons, with longtime shopper Johnny Wheeler expressing to FOX 5 Atlanta, "It's sad to know that people go through violence because they can't work out a problem." Others conveyed a mix of fear and confidence, with shopper Laura Lopez admitting, "I'm kind of scared. We can probably run into him at any time," and Ken Frazier asserting, "He's going to get caught. He's going to get caught eventually, yeah."
While the community copes with the aftermath, the question of how to safeguard patrons from such incidents arises. Wheeler suggested Walmart ensure thorough background checks are in place, "hopefully, there's no more employees in there such as him." Addressing the challenge of knowing whether employees are armed, Frazier said to FOX 5 Atlanta, "You just don't know. I mean, can you frisk all your employees? No you can't. So that's a problem, when you got 18-year-olds who can get guns wherever."
Walmart's corporate officials have reacted to the tragedy with a statement of sympathy for the victims and a commitment to assist law enforcement, as conveyed by WSBTV: "We’re heartbroken by what happened in our Fayetteville store Friday night and extend our sympathies to the loved ones of those involved. We are working with law enforcement to assist them in any way we can as they investigate." As the situation unfolds, the Fayetteville Police Department has urged anyone with information on Jelks' whereabouts to immediately contact 911.
