Shoppers pulled guns in response to Walmart shooting, but police say that slowed investigation

[kpete]

The latest mug shot of Scott Ostrem, released after his arrest for allegedly killing three people at a Thornton Walmart.


When a gunman opened fire inside a Walmart in Thornton Wednesday night, shoppers screamed and ran for cover — and others pulled out their own handguns.

But those who drew weapons during the shootings ultimately delayed the investigation as authorities pored over surveillance videotape trying to identify the assailant who killed three people, police said Thursday.

Although authorities said “a few” individuals drew handguns, they posed no physical hazard to officers. But their presence “absolutely” slowed the process of determining who, and how many, suspects were involved in the shootings, said Thornton police spokesman Victor Avila.

It took more than five hours to identify the suspect, 47-year-old Scott Ostrem, who is accused in the seemingly random shootings. The problem for investigators came when they reviewed the surveillance footage and had to follow each individual with a firearm until they could eliminate them as a suspect.


http://www.denverpost.com/2017/11/02/shoppers-pulled-weapons-walmart-shooting/

[dlk]

1. So Much for the "Good Guy With a Gun" Theory

[mercuryblues]

2. They're lucky

that they didn't start shooting at each other, thinking they were the gunman.

[DinahMoeHum]

5. They're also lucky the police didn't shoot at them. . .

. . .thinking they were the bad guys.

See, this is why the "good guy with a gun" theory is bullshit.

[Blue_Tires]

6. Meanwhile, black folks get killed for holding fucking TOY guns

[uponit7771]

3. White males shoots a bunch of brown people and nothing from Red Don

[lunasun]

7. I certainly hope this is looked at as a hate crime if warranted

The victims were brown, not the shooter , so let's assume there will be nothing coming from Red Don about this .

[randr]

4. We are all lucky the terrorist didn't move on to another killing ground

[7wo7rees]

8. Great comment seen on Tumblr:

I hope people don’t start calling up christian churches and threatening to burn them down and hurt or kill the parishioners!