2 killed, 1 injured in shooting at Walmart

THORNTON, COLO. >> Two men were killed and a woman was injured in a shooting inside a suburban Denver Walmart on Wednesday night, forcing customers to either hide in the store or frantically run for the doors.

Thornton police tweeted Wednesday night that they were responding to a shooting with “multiple parties down.” They advised people to stay away from the area as dozens of police cruisers and emergency vehicles raced to the scene.

Aaron Stephens, 44, was in the self-checkout line when he heard a single shot followed by more bursts of gunfire, The Denver Post reported. He said customers started screaming and running for the exits.

“I was scared. I feared for my life,” said Stephens, who has lived in Thornton for 20 years.

Meanwhile, Brandon Bonney said he received a call from his brother, who was inside the store.

“Bro, I’m inside Walmart, and there’s a shooting here,” Bonney said his brother told him.

Bonney told his brother to silence his phone, stay calm and “just get somewhere and hide,” The Post reported.

Investigators have not released any details about the circumstances of the shooting or the condition of the injured woman. A call to the Thornton Police Department went unanswered.

Special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were headed to the scene to help police.

The Walmart about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Denver is in a busy shopping center that includes restaurants, a movie theater and several other shops.

No other information was released.