Jewelry exchange leads to shots being fired outside Walmart, police say

BELMONT, N.C. — Just after 10 p.m. Friday, police in Belmont released the names of the people involved in the Walmart shooting earlier in the afternoon.

Eyewitness News was there when Wesley Perkins, who fled the scene earlier, was brought into the station. Police said Perkins robbed the shooter and ran from police.

It all started hours before in the parking lot of the Belmont Walmart on Hawley Avenue.

Investigators said the alleged shooter, Matthew Ollis, was trying to sell a diamond ring to Perkins and Malik Moore. Officers said the men swiped the ring and ran off without paying.

"The guy is screaming and he's telling them to stop, stop, stop," one witness said.

"I heard tap, tap, tap, tap," witness Jasha Hunter said.

Police said the shooter didn't hit anyone but scared a whole parking lot of Walmart customers, including Hunter.

"All of a sudden I saw people ducking and jumping up under their car," Hunter said. "And I thought, 'Oh, dear God, oh dear God.'"

Police found Ollis still at Walmart, and he told them about the robbery.

The apparent driver of the Jeep Cherokee had already taken off and the apparent passenger had gotten out of the car and ran off into the woods.

Police found Perkins and arrested him.

Ollis was also taken into custody for questioning.

His pregnant wife and a friend rushed to Walmart when they heard.

"He was defending himself," the friend said.

Moore is still on the loose.

WSOC