FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Heavily armed police responded to an armed robbery at a busy shopping plaza in Fort Lauderdale where a shooting broke out.

The shots rang out in front of a Walmart liquor store on West Broward Boulevard, just before 7 p.m., Wednesday.

According to police, a robber attempted to steal a bag of money from an employee and fired a gun into the air.

“I just heard ‘Pop! Pop! Pop!’ and they said ‘Everybody run!’ so I ran to the exit,” said Walmart shopper Maria Reed.

Police said the employee was walking out just as the robber walked in. Two unarmed security guards were with her.

“They confronted the suspect,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Deanna Greenlaw. “They got into a physical altercation with the suspect. The suspect let go of the money bag, and he jumped into a vehicle that was waiting nearby as the person who was driving the vehicle that he jumped into saw that there was a struggle going on, and he discharged a firearm into the air.”

Reed was inside the store with hundreds of others when it was evacuated.

“They had the employees there that were very organized,” Reed said. “They were getting everybody to the exits. The employees are the ones that told me to go to the exit and got me to the exit.”

In the end, the men didn’t get the money, and no one was shot despite the busy time of day.

“I was in there shopping, just trying to get my dinner for tonight. [I’m] just really shook up,” said Reed. “I was hoping it was fireworks or something else, and evidently, it was a gun.”

According to paramedics, four people suffered minor injuries as a result of trying to get away from the shooting.

Days earlier, police in Miami-Dade County responded to a shooting at another Walmart in West Miami-Dade. Police said they responded to the store, at 8400 Coral Way, at around 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.

According to investigators, an altercation took place between two men inside of the store, which escalated into the shooting. As a result, one man was killed and another was taken into custody.

Police said they’re looking for two men in a silver sedan.

If you have any information on this attempted robbery, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.

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