Red Bluff Walmart Shooter Identified As Disgruntled Former Employee Louis Lane
RED BLUFF (CBS SF/AP) -- The gunman who crashed his SUV into a Walmart distribution and the opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle in a deadly shooting spree has been identified as Louis Lane, who had been fired by the company in 2019 after failing to show up for his work shift, according to the Tehama County Sheriff's Department.
On Sunday, investigators released Lane's identity. He was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with Red Bluff police officers in the center's parking lot Saturday afternoon and later died at a local hospital of his injuries.
Deputies said six shooting victims were transported to local area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
As deputies arrived on scene, they found Martin Haro-Lozano, 45, of Orland, with life-threatening wounds and immediately placed him into their vehicle and transported him to the nearest hospital. Unfortunately, he died from his injuries. Haro-Lozano was an employee of Walmart, but it was not immediately known if he knew Lane.
"Based on evidence at the scene, video surveillance and witness statements investigators determined Lane acted alone," the sheriff department said in the news release.
Investigators also said it was determined that the Walmart shooting was "not related to the homicide investigation currently being investigated by the Shasta County Sheriff's Office in Shingletown."
Images from the scene revealed the intensity of the gunfight between Lane and the police officers. Numerous vehicles were hit by gunfire and evidence markers littered the parking lot.
In a statement late Saturday night Walmart said: "We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Our focus is on supporting our associates, as well as their families and co-workers in the facility. This is an active police investigation and we will continue to work with Tehama County Sheriff's Office and assist in their investigation in any way possible."
The shooting by a 31-year-old Lane started about 3:30 p.m. at the Walmart distribution center south of Red Bluff.
Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said at a news conference that Lane circled the parking lot four times before crashing into the building and opening fire.
The shooting victims were taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital in Red Bluff, spokeswoman Allison Hendrickson told The Associated Press. She confirmed that four were hospitalized, but declined to provide more details.
Some of the 200 workers inside the facility locked themselves in a room.
Scott Thammakhanty, an employee at the facility's receiving center, told the Redding Record-Searchlight that he heard the shooter fire from the rifle.
"It went on and on — I don't even know how many times he fired," Thammakhanty said. "I just know it was a lot."
Thammakhanty and others started running for their lives, and he saw people lying on the ground as he went, he said.
Fellow employee Franklin Lister told the New York Times he had just started work when a coworker ran down the hallway shouting: "Active gunfire! Active shooter!"
Vince Krick told the Record-Searchlight that his wife and son work at the facility and he was on his way to pick up his wife when he saw the flames. Neither was hurt, but his wife told him not to come to the front entrance, the newspaper reported.
"It was real crazy, because, you know, you can't do nothing," Krick said.
Dispatchers told the Record-Searchlight that at least one woman had been shot. A man had also reported his leg being run over when the shooter rammed a vehicle into the building, but the man wasn't sure if he had been shot, dispatchers said.
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
