Mississippi Police Fatally Shoot Woman Who Held Walmart Employee Hostage [Video]

Mississippi police fatally shot a woman who held a Walmart employee hostage earlier this week.

Police fatally shot the woman, who was later identified as Corlunda McGinister, 21, of West Helena, Arkansas, spokeswoman Bailey Martin of the Mississippi’s Department of Public Safety said Thursday.

Authorities were called to the store in Richland, Mississippi, around 5:45 pm Wednesday. Video footage from the incident shows the woman holding a gun in one hand and the employee with the other, ABC 24 News reported.

McGinister entered the store, saying she needed help, and demanded to speak to a news anchor.

Another video circulating across social media captures responding officers telling McGinister to put her hands up, to which she responded that she was not trying to hurt anybody.

“It’s devastating for all parties involved — the officers, everybody that was involved in this situation,” McLendon said. “You know, with the Christmas season coming, mental health is a big deal because of the stress involved in the Christmas season.”

Richland police Chief Nick McLendon told WAPT-TV that no one else was hurt in the shooting.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is examining what happened, as it does with all shootings by or of law enforcement officers.