Police arrest suspect in Walmart shooting

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Fairfax County Police have arrested a suspect in connection to a daytime shooting near the Hybla Valley Walmart earlier this month.

The 18-year-old man was arrested Tuesday evening near the intersection of Janna Lee Avenue and Audubon Avenue, police announced today. He is charged with attempted malicious wounding and trespassing.

The charges stem from a mid-afternoon shooting March 12 that triggered a large police response to the busy Richmond Highway shopping center.

According to police, a Walmart security guard suspected the suspect and another man had stolen merchandise and followed them out of the store. The suspects began running away, and the 23-year-old security guard followed them toward a nearby business with the intention of warning that store about the duo, according to police.

At some point the two suspects ran past the guard, and that’s when the suspect is alleged to have turned toward him and fired.

Nobody was injured during the incident.

After the shooting police swarmed the area looking for the suspects, using K9 units and the police helicopter.

Police caught up with the 18-year-old suspect yesterday. A patrol supervisor was driving through a neighborhood not far from the Walmart and happened to recognize him, police said. The suspect attempted to flee, but was quickly apprehended, according to police. The security guard from the store is said to have positively identified him.

The second suspect remains at large.