COLUMBIA, MO — Columbia police confirmed shots were fired Sunday night at the Walmart on Grindstone Parkway in South Columbia, triggering a fast-moving response that shut down the store and its parking lot.

Officers blocked off the area with crime scene tape and kept people from entering the building as investigators worked around the property. Shoppers inside were escorted out through a side door and into the parking lot, while police and Walmart employees stood near the entrances to stop customers from going in.

The response drew a heavy police presence and medical personnel to the scene as authorities told the public to stay away from the area.

Police seal off the store and parking lot as the response grows

Officers began taping off the Walmart parking lot shortly after 7 p.m., according to the scene. An ABC 17 News reporter heard officers telling people they could not enter the store, and by around 7:13 p.m. customers inside were being guided out through a side exit.

The parking lot quickly became an active investigation site. At one point, eight Columbia Police cars were visible along with two University of Missouri ambulances, and one ambulance later left with its lights on around 6:55 p.m., according to the reporter’s account from the scene.

A crime scene investigation van arrived around 7:05 p.m., adding to the response as officers continued to secure the area.

Customers describe hearing yelling before running to the back of the store

People who were inside the Walmart said the moment unfolded suddenly and sent shoppers scrambling. Connor Ibruhim, a University of Missouri student, said he was near the front of the store checking out when someone shouted that shots had been fired.

He said he initially thought the yelling might have been a joke, but customers quickly moved toward the back of the store. Ibruhim and his friend, Andrew Czheng, said they waited in the warehouse area for about 10 to 15 minutes before they were able to leave.

Their account matched the confusion many shoppers faced as the store was locked down and employees tried to keep people moving away from the front entrances.

Witnesses say a man entered yelling before the panic spread

Czheng said he saw a man come into the Walmart yelling, though he initially assumed the man was intoxicated. He said the scene quickly became chaotic as shoppers ran toward the back of the store.

One Walmart employee who spoke briefly with a reporter said most staff were allowed to leave, except those working in the grocery section. Ibruhim said he and other shoppers noticed employees moving with them as they evacuated and some staff remained outside once people had shifted to a different area.

The accounts describe a brief but intense scare inside the store before police took control of the building and surrounding lot.

Investigators remain on scene into the night

By around 9:35 p.m., officers were escorting people to their cars if they had parked in the taped-off areas. Crime scene tape later began coming down around 10:25 p.m., suggesting the immediate lockdown was easing as the evening went on.

Columbia police have not yet released more details about who fired the shots or whether anyone was injured. A spokesman said the public should avoid the area near the Walmart while officers continued their work.

ABC 17 News said it had reached out to Columbia police for additional information as the investigation continued.

South Columbia shoppers faced a sudden shutdown at a busy retail hub

The Walmart on Grindstone Parkway is a major retail stop for South Columbia, so the police response drew attention from motorists and nearby residents as soon as officers began closing access to the lot. The store’s entrances were blocked for hours while investigators gathered information and controlled who could leave.

For shoppers caught inside, the evening turned into an unexpected shelter-in-place situation before they were finally led out. The timeline of the response showed a gradual wind-down, from the first tape going up shortly after 7 p.m. to the removal of tape later that night.

Police have asked the public to steer clear of the area until the scene is fully cleared.