YORKTOWN, Va. — A Hampton man who shot a firearm in the parking lot of a Yorktown Walmart during a road rage incident was arrested Sunday, deputies said.
The incident happened on Oct. 2 at the Walmart at 2601 George Washington Memorial Highway. York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office deputies responded around 3:35 p.m. that day for reports of shots fired in the parking lot.
“Witnesses describe both vehicles coming through the parking lot, one appearing to be chasing the other," said the York County and the City of Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery.
He continued, “...the suspect’s vehicle pulled up alongside them [the other driver]. At least two shots were fired, and we did find at least two spent rounds in the parking lot, and that’s when he fled.”
According to the sheriff's office, witnesses said that two vehicles were involved, and they both left already. Deputies spoke with the victim over the phone and learned the shooting happened due to a road rage incident on Victory Boulevard, continuing into the Walmart parking lot.
No one was injured by the shots fired. Sheriff Montgomery said he was relieved no one was hurt since the incident happened in the middle of the day.
“We are very fortunate that nobody was injured, particularly the victim being as close as he was to the suspect vehicle, but the fact that shots being fired out there, they weren't any ricochets and nobody else got hurt that was very fortunate," said Sheriff Montgomery.
On Oct. 4, two warrants were obtained for the person who fired the shots, 48-year-old Thomas Kearney of Hampton. He is charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless handling of a firearm and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.