North Carolina man shot, killed at Walmart while defending mother, family claims
Photographer: Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
GARNER, N.C. - The family of a North Carolina man shot and killed at Walmart said the victim was trying to defend his mother.
Garner police said 29-year-old Colton Valdez lost his life Tuesday at the Walmart located at 4500 Fayetteville Road.
They said the suspected gunman did remain on the scene until police arrived.
Authorities said Valdez approached the suspect and pulled out a BB gun, which resembled a handgun. The suspect, in turn, drew his handgun and shot Valdez.
A decision has not been made about whether charges will be filed against the suspected gunman.
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According to WTVD, the victim's family said Valdez got into an argument with the suspect. They said the suspect was "cursing and yelling at Valdez's mom as she tried to back out of a parking spot; that's when Valdez confronted him."
"Garner cops say the reason they're gonna be able to say self-defense is faulty camerawork, the cameras at the front door here they say were so foggy they couldn't make anything out - but they had clips of different parts of the parking lot to where things could be seen," said Colton's mother Kathy Valdez told the outlet.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.