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Watch: Former fired employee opened fire at Vandergriff Honda dealership
Authorities stated that both customers and staff were present at the dealership during the incident. They took immediate cover, and fortunately, no additional injuries were reported.
According to police reports, a former staff member of Vandergriff Honda entered the dealership wielding a shotgun and began discharging rounds.
This incident occurred on Thursday at approximately 6:30 p.m. at the Arlington dealership, located off the frontage road of Interstate 20, situated between Cooper Street and Matlock Road.
Upon arrival, responding officers noted that the individual was still actively firing at the building. In response, officers discharged their weapons, incapacitating the assailant and subsequently transporting him to the hospital. The extent of his injuries remains unclear at this time.
Authorities stated that both customers and staff were present at the dealership during the incident. They took immediate cover, and fortunately, no additional injuries were reported. Mai Dao, a customer, recounted the experience, saying, “Witnesses reported hearing several shots and running away.
Employees tried to protect me, push me to the back of the office. It was very scary.” She described hearing “three or four gunshots, and then the second time the same.” It’s important to note that the armed individual did not manage to gain entry into the building.
The police reported that the shooter had been terminated from the dealership within the last two months. It remains uncertain whether the individual specifically sought out someone at the dealership. “At this point, we’re not sure if the suspect was deliberately aiming at officers. It will understandably require a thorough review of body camera footage, examination of evidence, and a careful assessment of procedures,” stated Sgt. Courtney White of the Arlington Police Department.
Footage from a nearby dealership in Arlington captures an individual in a blue shirt sprinting across the parking lot carrying a long firearm, with audible gunshots in the background.
As authorities sift through the evidence, there will be two separate investigations – a criminal inquiry and an administrative review, which is standard protocol following an officer-involved shooting.
The dealership will remain closed on Friday for necessary cleanup. Employees mentioned that the sprinkler system was activated during the incident, resulting in some flooding.
