New surveillance footage is shedding light on a hostage situation that took place at a Texas Wal-Mart last month.
Amarillo SWAT officers shot and killed a man who took two people hostage inside a Wal-Mart Tuesday afternoon, police say.[[382976511,R]]
Amarillo police tweeted the end of the hostage situation shortly before 12:45 p.m. saying the hostages were safe and the gunman was dead.
Officer Jeb Hilton, with the Amarillo Police Department, said as officers were clearing the store they found the armed person and fatally shot him.
No other injured people were found inside the store, Hilton said, other than the one shot by SWAT officers.
The Amarillo Police Department released a brief statement late Tuesday afternoon identifying the suspect as 54-year-old Mohammad Moghaddam.
Police say he took two people hostage, including a manager with whom he had a work-related dispute.
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New surveillance footage shows the gunman leading the hostage all the way to the back room.
No other details have been released about Moghaddam or what may have led to the incident. Police say neither hostage was injured. [[382976571,C]]
“As soon as we heard about the situation at our store in Amarillo, Texas, we acted immediately. All customers and our two associates who were held hostage are safe. This was a very difficult situation and we are thankful for the quick response from law enforcement," said Deisha Barnett, Wal-Mart spokeswoman.
The Randall County Sheriff's Department said the Georgia Street exit ramp on southbound Interstate 27 was closed to all traffic and the entire area surrounding the Wal-Mart was closed to traffic during the incident. Sheriff's deputies added northbound I-27 was backed up and there are reports of crashes along on the highway.
