A man with no known connection to the San Joaquin Valley city of Madera, who police said had expressed anger toward “pharmacies,” shot and killed a Walgreens employee and opened fire on others inside the store late last month.
The March 31 violence unfolded at 9:35 p.m., about a half hour before the Walgreens location in the 2000 block of West Cleveland Avenue was set to close, police said in a news release.
The suspect, now identified as Narciso Gallardo Fernandez, 30, was captured waving at a store surveillance camera before he shot the camera with a gun he’d been holding his left hand.
By the time police arrived, Fernandez had fatally shot Erick Velazquez, an employee at the store, and fired on two other employees who ran out of the store when gunfire erupted.
Several other people were found sheltering in place inside the location, including one employee who was holed up in the store bathroom.
Fernandez was standing in the parking lot at the rear of his vehicle, reloading his firearm when officers with the Madera Police Department arrived. Police said the 30-year-old surrendered himself without incident.
Lt. Josiah Arnold told NBC News that it was clear to officers that Fernandez intended to keep firing at people.
Investigators have not released an official motive in the shooting but said the gunman “made statements about being angry with pharmacies.” They are looking into whether a recent car accident Fernandez was in might have been a factor in the tragic shooting.
Lt. Arnold said investigators have not identified any connections Fernandez, who lives about an hour outside Madera, had with the store, the victim or any of the other employees.
In a statement, Walgreens said it was “deeply saddened,” NBC News reported, describing Velasquez as a leader in the community. The company also extended its condolences to Velasquez’s loved ones. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
“We’re focused on supporting our employees, as we have and will continue to offer on-site counseling services,” the statement added.
Fernandez, who is being held on $3 million bail, pleaded not guilty on April 2 to charges of murder and attempted murder with enhancements that a gun was used in both instances.
