THORNTON, Colo. -- Customers inside the Thornton Walmart were forced to either hide or flee as shots rang out inside the busy shopping center Wednesday. Two men and a woman were killed in the shooting.
Police are currently looking for suspect described as a white male last seen wearing a black jacket, maroon shirt and blue jeans.
Aaron Stephens was at self-checkout when he heard what he thought sounded like a firecracker.
“It was when the employees started screaming and running that I realized I need to get the heck out of here, like this is really happening,” said Stephens, who shot a Facebook live video outside the store of police taking an unidentified man to the ground.
Meanwhile, Harold Solomon was in the back of the store with his 13-year-old son when he heard the first shot.
“I heard a shot, ‘Boom!’ And I’m thinking, ‘what the crap was that?’ And then another shot — 'Boom!' What the crap is going on? And then a third shot and I”m like, 'they're shooting! Duck! Duck!" said Solomon, who said he grabbed his son and ran out the back door of the store.
Meanwhile, family members of Walmart employees and shoppers waited outside the store for word about their loved ones’ safety.
“I got a call from my sister. She was really distraught. I didn’t understand a word she was saying,” said Jennifer Biglands. “It sucks when it’s this close to home. It’s hard.”
Joleen Sarno was waiting to hear from her daughter, who works in the store, and she said she wasn’t really thinking about the recent shootings in New York or Las Vegas.
“I just think about everyday life, because you never know when you’re going to have your last breath or tell your kids that you love them,” said Sarno.