A routine Thursday morning shopping trip at the Venice Walmart turned into an evacuation after a customer accidentally shot himself, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies say store surveillance video shows the man walked in with a holstered handgun and the weapon went off as he tried to adjust it, hitting his leg and groin. The wounded shopper was later found at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital campus in Venice.
Deputies Arrived After 911 Call
Deputies were called to the Walmart at 4150 S. Tamiami Trail after a 911 caller reported hearing a popping sound and spotting a trail of blood near the front-of-store bathrooms, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. The store was evacuated while deputies cleared the building, but they did not immediately find anyone connected to the incident inside.
Surveillance Shows the Moments Before the Shot
Investigators reviewing surveillance footage saw a white man entering the store with a holstered gun tucked into his waistband. According to the sheriff’s office, the firearm discharged as he tried to adjust it, striking him in the leg and groin. The shooting has been described as accidental, and authorities said there was no ongoing threat to shoppers, as reported by FOX 13.
Victim Located at Hospital
Shortly after the store was cleared, a person with a gunshot wound was located at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital campus in Venice, according to Patch. Officials have not released the person’s name or updated medical condition, and the sheriff’s office has not said whether the shopper might face any charges.
Legal Context
Florida law generally prohibits openly carrying a firearm in public. Florida Statute 790.053 makes open carry unlawful except in limited circumstances and classifies a violation as a second-degree misdemeanor. The sheriff’s report did not state whether the man will be charged, and prosecutors will review the investigative findings before deciding on any potential charges, as noted by FOX 13.
Detectives are continuing to go over store surveillance video and interview witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Tampa Bay 28 reported that no other injuries were found at the store and deputies fully cleared the scene before learning the injured shopper had turned up at the hospital.
