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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Investigators continue to try to figure out the motives of a man who started firing shots outside Walmart on Saturday, in a parking lot between the supercenter and a strip mall housing a state Wine & Spirits store and a Chuck E. Cheese.
Police say Scott Sargent, 31, of Shenandoah, was shot and wounded by police after opening fire in the parking lot. No else one was injured.
Police responded to a report of the active shooter who started firing at the officers, who returned fire, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said. During the incident Walmart and other stores went into lockdown, which lasted for about 40 minutes before the situation was resolved.
Salavantis stressed there was no danger and that the shooter had been apprehended. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
State Police at the Wyoming Barracks said the investigation is ongoing. Police were still at the scene, with the section of the parking lot taped off, as of 5 p.m.
The shooting took place at approximately 12:35 p.m. and multiple shots were fired from what state police said was a .223-caliber rifle, with Sargent initially firing into the air as he stood by a car.
Hanover resident AnaMaria Antonesca said her kids were getting haircuts when they heard about the shooting and went in the candy aisle to hide.
“I think we were here right in the time frame when (the police) just got the call,” said Antonesca. “That’s when they were worried about locking the doors. They wouldn’t let anyone evacuate, but they were more worried about locking everything down so the shooter wouldn’t get in. I think at that point the shooter was scrambling around trying to get away.”
The entire incident took place in the parking lot. Sargent reportedly was with a woman, who is being questioned.
Charges for Sargent were filed in Magisterial District Court 11-3-07 and he is facing six counts of criminal attempt to commit homicide of a law enforcement officer, six counts of assault of a law enforcement officer, three counts of aggravated assault, one count of persons not to posses firearms and 10 counts of recklessly endangering another person.
