Beaumont, CA - On Thursday, March 30, 2023, the Beaumont Police Department received several 911 calls reporting an active shooter at the Walmart located at 1540 E. 2nd Street Marketplace in the City of Beaumont. Callers were employees who reported hearing there was a shooter in the store, but were unable to confirm hearing gunshots. The Beaumont Police Department immediately deployed resources to the location in response.
Once on scene officers were able to quickly determine that no shots had been fired, however employees did report seeing a man with a gun. After further investigation it was determined the information being provided stemmed from a retired law enforcement officer who’s firearm had been visible to an employee while shopping in the store. The subject was briefly detained and it was determined that at no time was the weapon unholstered or displayed in any fashion. There were no reports of injuries, several employees had self-evacuated the business, but returned to work after law enforcement determined the reports of a shooting to be false.
When events like the recent school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, occur on a national level, understandably, we see an increase in concerns within our local community. Oftentimes these events spur rumors and other reports, especially via social media, which further adds to the anxiety our community is already feeling. While this morning’s events were a false alarm we do appreciate our community’s vigilance and are grateful for the ability to work together with our citizens to keep Beaumont safe.