Shopper charged with pulling gun in Walmart

Man seen in video showing firearm in mask dispute

The man seen in surveillance video pulling a gun in Walmart during a debate over COVID-19 masks has been arrested.

Vincent Bruce Scavetta, of Lake Worth Beach, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and improper exhibition of a firearm.

He was seen on video pulling a handgun from his waistband after another man in Royal Palm Beach asked him to wear a mask while shopping.

Scavetta, 28, was pushing an older man in a wheelchair at the Walmart, at 9990 Belvedere Road, on July 12 when he was approached by Christopher Estrada, who was shopping with his young daughter. Estrada asked Scavetta to wear a mask due to COVID-19, according to an arrest report.

Estrada, 46 of West Palm Beach, told deputies that Scavetta began cursing at him, showed a gun and said, “I’ll kill you” before aiming the firearm at Estrada’s head, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office.

The two eventually separated and Walmart employees unlocked a locked door to let Scavetta and the man in the wheelchair, later identified as his father, leave.

At the time of the incident, the Sheriff ’s Office put out an alert with screenshots of the surveillance video to solicit the public’s help in identifying the man with the gun. Scavetta called the Sheriff ’s Office soon after and identified himself as the man in the video, saying he wanted to give his side of the story, the report stated.

After meeting with investigators, Scavetta turned in his gun, which was taken as evidence. He also provided a valid concealed carry permit.

Scavetta told investigators that he took his mask off once he got inside the store because it was raining outside and his mask got wet. He went on to tell police that when he breathed with the mask on, it fogged up his glasses making it difficult to see.

Scavetta said that Estrada struck him with an umbrella, although later said he did not have a clear recollection of the events due to stress he experienced during the incident.

Estrada told investigators that he did not remember the exact order of events. He said he did raise the umbrella after Scavetta threatened him but was unsure if the umbrella made contact with Scavetta.

A full video of the incident was not immediately provided following a records request.

Edgar Moses witnessed the encounter and provided a statement to investigators. He did not witness the entire confrontation or hear every statement that was made, but said he tried to intervene after the argument escalated into a shouting match.

Moses, a retired DEA agent, told investigators he heard Scavetta shout at Estrada, “you don’t know what I’ve got!” before pulling his gun and aiming it at Estrada. Moses also told investigators he felt that Scavetta should not have a concealed weapons permit, based on his actions that day.

Scavetta is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail on no bond on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony and improper exhibition of a firearm, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Scavetta