Shots fired in Washington Walmart parking lot; 1 taken to hospital

2017 file photo showing police responding to Walmart parking lot after after a man attempted to evade police. Washington City, Utah, July 27, 2017 | Photo by Nakavius Jaks, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A man was transported to the hospital early Wednesday morning after he was shot in the leg during an argument, after which the suspected shooter fled to Mesquite, Nevada.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m., officers, firefighters and EMT’s responded to a report of shots fired in the Washington City Walmart parking lot at 625 W. Telegraph Street,  involving a man who reportedly suffered a gunshot wound.

Upon arrival, officers found the victim, a 30-year-old Washington City man who suffered a single gunshot wound to his leg. He was transported by ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center to be treated for his wounds, Ed Kantor, Washington City Police spokesperson told St. George News Wednesday morning.

“They don’t believe the injury is life-threatening,” Kantor said.

Officers learned during the investigation that a verbal altercation started between the victim and the suspected shooter, later identified as 23-year-old Henry Pitman of St. George. At some point during the argument, the suspect brought out a handgun and fired several shots in the parking lot, one of which struck the victim in the leg, police said.

Investigators also determined that Pitman may have been in the parking lot “possibly to complete a drug deal,” and while the suspect knew the victim “casually through mutual acquaintances,” Kantor said, the shooting was directly related to the argument, and the drug deal was unrelated.

After speaking to witnesses and others, officers learned that Pitman fled to Mesquite, Nevada after the shooting, where he was located a short time later by Mesquite Police officers and was taken into custody without further incident.

“There are no other suspects involved in the incident that we know of, and there is no danger to the public,” Kantor said.

According to Mesquite Police Department’s spokesperson, Officer Quinn Averett, Pitman is still in the process of being booked into the Mesquite Detention Center. A booking photo for the suspect will not be available until later Wednesday, Averett said.

Kantor added that police are working on bringing Pitman back to Utah, and said the findings listed in this report are preliminary only, and details may change as the investigation continues.

More than 10 police units responded to the scene, including officers from Washington City Police and St. George Police departments. Crews from Washington City Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance also responded.

This report is based on statements from police or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

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7 Comments

  • Brian April 11, 2018 at 9:56 am

    How to screw up your life in 3 easy steps: 1) Hang out with people that do drugs 2) Do drugs yourself 3) Bring a gun to a drug deal

  • comments April 11, 2018 at 10:42 am

    little st george is all growed up. even got drug shootings in the walmart lot… smh

    • Icomments2 April 11, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Don’t you mean Washington??? St. George grew up along time ago… Lol

    • Striker4 April 12, 2018 at 2:39 am

      There is no Wal-Mart in St George !

  • utahdiablo April 11, 2018 at 9:54 pm

    Much more of this BS to come with all the new folks moving here everyday….Enjoy!

  • Carpe Diem April 12, 2018 at 6:22 am

    “the drug deal was unrelated.” The cops actually said this?

  • RationalGuy April 12, 2018 at 10:42 am

    “…more than 10 police units responded to the scene…” really? Well, we clearly have plenty of police coverage in this part of Washington County. Our tax dollar at work… ?

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