Inset: Raqiya Ward (KSNV). The Walmart in Las Vegas, Nev., where police say a man was fatally shot by officers after he shot another person during a dispute (Google Maps).
A confrontation inside a Las Vegas Walmart turned deadly after a Nevada woman allegedly got into an “altercation” with another shopper and then told her husband to “bring a gun” to the store, according to police. The man she had been arguing with was shot, and her husband was later killed by responding officers, authorities say.
Raqiya Ward has been charged with battery with a deadly weapon, disregard for the safety of persons or property, and conspiracy to commit battery over the July 21 incident. According to an arrest report obtained by local NBC affiliate KSNV and Fox affiliate KVVU, Ward became involved in a dispute with a man identified as Kwame Swain, who had been arguing with his girlfriend.
Police allege the confrontation began outside the Walmart after Ward walked past the couple and made a comment, prompting an exchange with Swain. The dispute escalated into violence, with punches and rocks allegedly thrown, before Ward called her husband, Travis Ward, and told him to come to the store to help.
“Bring a gun,” Ward said, according to witnesses interviewed by police.
When Travis Ward arrived armed with a pistol, his wife allegedly directed him toward Swain, telling him, “He’s inside, no shirt,” according to the arrest report.
Authorities say Travis Ward pulled out the handgun inside the store and shot Swain, causing shoppers and employees to flee as police were arriving. The report states that he attempted to fire at Swain more than once, but the weapon malfunctioned.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to the Walmart in the 5100 block of Boulder Highway in East Las Vegas at about 6 a.m., shortly after the store opened. Police said they encountered Travis Ward walking out of the store with the gun still in his hand.
“LVMPD communications received a call for service, stating that numerous subjects were involved in a physical altercation inside,” a police captain told reporters at a press briefing after the early Tuesday morning incident.
“As an officer arrived, he heard what he believed to be a gunshot coming from inside the business, immediately followed by a suspect exiting the business holding a firearm,” the captain said. “That caused the officer to discharge his firearm, striking the suspect. … He was pronounced deceased on scene.”
Officers entered the Walmart and found Swain suffering from a gunshot wound. “That male was also provided immediate medical attention and transported to the hospital where he’s currently in critical condition,” the LVMPD captain reported.
Shoppers who were at the Walmart spoke to local media outlets about the chaos that unfolded in the store, calling it “scary” and completely unexpected.
“I literally came to get some Tylenol so I can do my morning walk, and I came into a scene looking like Baghdad,” shopper Christopher Goodloe told CBS affiliate KLAS. “I can’t believe it, man. Thirty-two years and I never experienced this in my life. Vegas has changed quite a bit.”
A female shopper told local ABC affiliate KTNV, “Honestly, it was scary because a lot of families live in the area. I’m here all the time, so to hear something like this happened at our local Walmart is crazy. I never thought it would happen over here.”
Prosecutors said in court last week that Ward and another woman who was with her during the altercation with Swain, identified as Ameea Blue, are ultimately to blame.
“This entire incident stems from a physical fight that was started by this defendant, the co-defendant and then enlisting someone to come and show up with a firearm,” a prosecutor said, according to KSNV.
Ward was ordered held without bail, while Blue is being held on a $25,000 bail. They’re both due back in court Tuesday.
The post Woman tells husband to ‘bring a gun’ to Walmart to shoot shopper she was beefing with, watches him turn the store into ‘Baghdad’ and gets him killed: Cops first appeared on Law & Crime.
