Customers Rattled When Gunman Opens Fire Inside Tulsa Walmart

Ashli Sims, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa Walmart Neighborhood Market reopened Tuesday evening, after it was temporarily shutdown after a gunman opened fire inside the store Tuesday afternoon.

One minute folks were doing their shoppping, the next they were hitting the floor because shots were being fired inside the Neighborhood Market at 21st and Yale.

"He had a hostage, he came in right behind me," one witness said.  "I looked over and he had a pistol pointed at the guy and the guy was walking like he couldn't hardly stand up."

5/31/2011 Related Story: Driver, Gunman Dead After Tulsa Chase And Carjackings

Mary Starks says she was at work when she got the call.

"I gotta call from my daughter while I was working that they were in a shootout," Starks said

She was a panicked.

"I work at a front counter so I was trying to keep composure in front of customers," she said.

She says her family just went to their Neighborhood Walmart to get some shampoo. Her 80-year-old mother, her two daughters, and her nine-month-old grandbaby were trapped inside the store when shots were fired.

"They told them to leave the store and the guy came out in the parking lot and shot up there. And then they made them go back into the store and they weren't sure the shooter was still in there," she said.

Starks frantically tried to get through the police barricade to get to her family.

"Now they're not letting me in here and I'm like come on," Stark said.

Finally, the officers were able to bring them to her. She was able to see for herself that her family was ok.

No members of Starks family were hurt, but they were very shaken up. The baby was flushed and hot, but doing just fine.

5/31/2011 Related Story: Tulsa Carjacking Victim To Gunman: 'Let Me Get My Baby'