LAUREL, MD (WALMART PARKING LOT SHOOTING)

Police: Employee found shot in Laurel Walmart parking lot Detectives treating incident as commercial armed robbery UPDATED 7:29 AM EST Nov 15, 2012 Police look for shooter who injured Walmart employee LAUREL, Md. — Anne Arundel County police are investigating an armed robbery and shooting that seriously injured a man at a Laurel Walmart store near Route 295. Anne Arundel County police are investigating an armed robbery and shooting that seriously injured a man at a Laurel Walmart store near Route 295. The incident was reported at the store in the 3500 block of Russett Green around 4:15 a.m. Wednesday. Detectives said a man went into the store, approached a 28-year-old employee and demanded money. Officials said the employee complied but was somehow forced into the parking lot, where he was shot. Officers found him suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds to the upper body. Police spokesman Justin Mulcahy told 11 News that a call for a vehicle found in flames at Hammerstone Road and Mayaone Street in Laurel came at 4:26 a.m. "We're looking at the possibility that may have been the suspect's vehicle," Mulcahy said. Police had blocked off the entrances to the shopping complex during the investigation, and officers could be seen from helicopter video searching the parking lot. The store was reopened by 10 a.m. Meanwhile, Walmart issued a statement, saying its concern is now with the employee and his family, and the store is cooperating fully with police. "Knowing they didn't find and haven't caught the guy yet that makes me more nervous, you know, cause you don't know where he's at or what he's doing next," shopper Sandy Griffith said. News of the robbery and shooting had Walmart customers on edge. They said they couldn't understand why it happened, and their hearts went out to the victim and his family. "It's frightening. A person that is working here as an employee, trying to put some food on the table for his family, comes out and gets shot. The whole thing is senseless," shopper Bill, who did not give his last name, said.