The father of a Walmart employee recounts the texts he and his daughter shared amid the shooting at the Bozeman Walmart on Sunday, July 31, 2022.
“I just was praying to God that she was ok,” said the father, who asked to remain anonymous. “At 8:00 p.m. she texted us and said, ‘I can’t talk on the phone right now, I can only text. There’s been a shooting at my Walmart and I’m sheltering in place in the break room.”
The father described the helplessness he felt and how he hurried to get to a scanner app on his phone to try and learn more.
“She said, ‘I love you dad,’ and I texted her back saying, ‘I love you too, and you’re going to be ok, and that I‘m sure the police are on it,” the father said.
Not just the Bozeman Police Department, but Belgrade PD, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, the Bozeman Fire Department, Montana Highway Patrol responded and worked together at Sunday night's scene.
The father says that his daughter sheltered in place in a break room, which she said didn’t lock, and stacked tables and chairs around it. Today, her father says she is still shaken up by the event.
Bozeman Police Department tells MTN that the man who police say admitted to being the shooter was detained and has been released. No further information has been provided at this time.
According to the release, on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at approximately 7:50 pm, the Bozeman Police Department responded to Walmart at 1500 N. 7th Avenue, for the report of a shooting that occurred inside the store. Upon arrival, officers treated the incident as an active shooter in progress due to the limited information known at the time and immediately entered the building through a chaotic scene.
Officers located an adult male with an obvious gunshot wound and performed lifesaving measures on him along with members of American Medical Response (AMR) and the Bozeman Fire Department. The male was transported by AMR to Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he is currently being treated. He is expected to recover from his wounds.
While searching Walmart, officers located an adult male who identified himself as the shooter. This individual was initially detained and is currently cooperating with investigators. The shooter was lawfully in possession of a handgun that is believed to be the only firearm used during this incident.
