Thorton Police Department
Police are searching for Scott Ostrem after three people were killed due to a shooting at a Thornton, Colorado Walmart on Wednesday, November 1. The shooting took place at the Walmart Supercenter at 9901 Grant Street.
According to police, the lone gunman, Ostrem, walked into the Walmart “nonchalantly” and opened fire randomly on a group of people near the cash registers, according to a spokesperson for the Thornton Police Department. Police said Ostrem walked into the south doors at the Walmart located at 9900 Grant St. around 6:10 PM Wednesday and “nonchalantly” began firing.
The Thorton Police Department says the wanted suspect, Scott Ostrem, is a 47-year-old white man who wore a black jacket, maroon shirt, and blue jeans armed with a handgun. Police are warning civilians to consider Ostrem armed and dangerous. Ostrem reportedly fled the scene in a red 2017 four-door Mitsubishi Mirage with license plate #882TQB.
The three people who were killed were the only ones who were shot by Ostrem. Thornton police said a nationwide extradition homicide warrant has been issued for the 47-year-old Ostrem.
Hundreds of emergency responders were on the scene after the shooting.
via 9News:
As a matter of precaution, the public should be cautious until the suspect is taken into custody. There’s no known motive for the shooting at this time. The call came into dispatch at 6:10 p.m. to report a shooting inside the Grant Street Walmart location, police said.
According to authorities, two men were killed and a woman was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died.
The names of the victims have not been released though Tiffany Wilson, Director of Walmart Communications, did confirm that all Walmart staff has been accounted for.
While investigators have no idea why the man started shooting, they did say the shooting is not known to be an act of terrorism. However, a Thornton PD spokesperson did refer to the shooting as a heinous act.
According to Aaron Stephens, a witness who spoke to the Denver Post, he was in the self-checkout line when he heard a single shot fired, followed by more bursts of gunfire. He said at this point, customers started screaming and running for the exits.
“I was scared,” Stephens said. “I feared for my life.”
According to Colorado court records, while Ostrem declared bankruptcy in 2015, he does not have a lengthy criminal record. In 2013, he was arrested for driving while ability impaired.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact police at 720-977-5069 or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
