A veteran confronted a heavily armed gunman on Monday after the suspect entered a Texas Walmart armed with an AK-47.
The suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Marco Antonio Sigala, was dressed in black from head to toe and clearly had mayhem on his mind.
"I was pulling up and I seen a gentleman, young man approximately 25 mid to late 20s, carrying an AK-47 into the store," Allen told KVEO-TV.
Allen immediately approached Sigala, and told him to put a stop to whatever nefarious plan he might be considering.
"[Sigala] was very upset that I stopped him, and he was wanting to know who I was, those kinds of things," Allen recalled. "I said I was just a soldier, and I'm a concerned citizen, and you're not shooting anybody in this store today."
While Allen distracted Sigala from his plans, a passerby phoned 911 and reported the gunman.
Welasco Police Chief Joel Rivera said at least 17 Welasco officers and four Hidalgo County deputy constables immediately responded to the concerning scene.
The station reported that the situation was dire: The suspect was armed with more than one weapon.
Police demanded Sigala surrender the AK-47.
"He threw the gun on the ground," Rivera said. "He refused to show his hands. At some point he produced a handgun."
Sigala reportedly began shooting at responding officers, prompting them to return fire.
Sigala sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the exchange and died at the scene.
No officers, customers, or employees were harmed as a result of the incident.
What are the details?
John Allen, a veteran and a Walmart shopper, said he was headed to the retailer Monday afternoon when he spotted a male carrying the weapon into the store.The suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Marco Antonio Sigala, was dressed in black from head to toe and clearly had mayhem on his mind.
"I was pulling up and I seen a gentleman, young man approximately 25 mid to late 20s, carrying an AK-47 into the store," Allen told KVEO-TV.
Allen immediately approached Sigala, and told him to put a stop to whatever nefarious plan he might be considering.
"[Sigala] was very upset that I stopped him, and he was wanting to know who I was, those kinds of things," Allen recalled. "I said I was just a soldier, and I'm a concerned citizen, and you're not shooting anybody in this store today."
While Allen distracted Sigala from his plans, a passerby phoned 911 and reported the gunman.
Welasco Police Chief Joel Rivera said at least 17 Welasco officers and four Hidalgo County deputy constables immediately responded to the concerning scene.
'At some point he produced a handgun'
In a news conference, Rivera said, "The suspect entered Walmart though the north side entrance, [and] had a confrontation with a customer. Ended up pointing a gun at the customer. That's still being corroborated through video and eyewitnesses. He made his way straight east to the back of the store."The station reported that the situation was dire: The suspect was armed with more than one weapon.
Police demanded Sigala surrender the AK-47.
"He threw the gun on the ground," Rivera said. "He refused to show his hands. At some point he produced a handgun."
Sigala reportedly began shooting at responding officers, prompting them to return fire.
Sigala sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the exchange and died at the scene.
No officers, customers, or employees were harmed as a result of the incident.
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