FORT PIERCE, FLA (WSVN) – A man was taken into custody after, police said, he ran through a Walmart store with a machete, sending several shoppers scrambling for safety.
Officer-worn body camera video captured Fort Pierce Police officers arriving to the Walmart on Aug. 30 to find several shoppers rushing out the door in a panic.
“There were people running out, moving away; there were even some people that were in the store not understanding what was going on at the time, so it was somewhat chaotic,” said Fort Pierce Police Maj. Mike Santiago.
One of the customers running out the door pointed out the suspect to officers, who approached the man pushing a shopping cart and grabbed his left arm.
“And as he does that, the individual swings around, grabs the machete and starts swinging at the officer himself,” said Santiago.
The suspect was tackled to the ground, with some officers pointing guns and others pointing Tasers at the man before taking him into custody.
He was identified as 33-year-old Lawrence Fountain from Vero Beach.
One officer was cut by the machete. He was taken to the hospital to be treated and is expected to be OK.
As for how the man got the machete, authorities said Walmart sells them and believe Fountain grabbed one in the store before he swung on officers.
“This could’ve gone a number of different ways. It ended up where it was minor injuries, and we took somebody off the streets that was potentially a threat to everybody else in that area,” said Santiago.
Fountain was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail. His motives are unclear.
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