Police in Madera, California, say a tragic and disturbing scene unfolded late Monday night after a man entered a Walgreens store and opened fire, killing a store employee and firing at others before being arrested in the parking lot.
According to the Madera Police Department, the suspect—identified as 30-year-old Narciso Gallardo Fernandez—walked into the store around 9:30 p.m. on March 31 with a handgun concealed in his pocket. Surveillance video captured Fernandez allegedly shooting out a security camera before fatally shooting 27-year-old Walgreens employee Erick Velasquez.
Police say Velasquez died inside the store while customers and other workers scrambled to shelter in place. As the chaos erupted, Fernandez allegedly fired his weapon at other employees who were attempting to flee. Thankfully, no one else was hit.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found Fernandez still in the parking lot—reportedly reloading his gun. He was immediately taken into custody and is now facing a homicide charge.
Investigators believe the act was not random, but not personal either. During questioning, Fernandez allegedly told authorities he harbored hatred toward large pharmacy chains, according to Madera Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte. However, there’s no indication that the suspect knew Velasquez, nor was the victim a pharmacist. The chief added that the pharmacy section of the store was closed at the time of the attack, and the shooting took place in a different area.
Police also confirmed that this incident does not appear to be connected to the high-profile killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December, a case which stirred national attention around targeted attacks on healthcare executives.
Madera, a city located about 25 miles northwest of Fresno, is still grappling with the shock of the incident. Fernandez is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday, where formal charges are expected to be filed.
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