Man accused of killing Walgreens worker allegedly had grudge against pharmacies, police say
Man accused of killing Walgreens worker allegedly had grudge against pharmacies, police say Police said 30-year-old Narciso Gallardo Fernandez, who was reloading his handgun in the Walgreens parking lot, surrendered to responding officers.
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An armed man accused of walking into a Walgreens location in California and shooting an employee to death this week allegedly had a grudge against corporate pharmacies, police said.
Madera Police told USA TODAY that Narciso Gallardo Fernandez, 30, is accused of shooting store employee Erick Velasquez, 34 on Monday.
The shooting appeared to be random and there was no prior relationship between the two men, Madera Police Chief Gino Chiaramonte told ABC 30 and Fox 26.
Velasquez was pronounced dead at the scene after the shooting occurred around 9 p.m. local time on Monday night, police said in a Facebook post.
Fernandez was booked in Madera County Jail for a homicide charge, police said. As of Wednesday, it was unclear if he has been given a bond.
Chiaramonte, the police chief, told local media that Fernandez drove more than 80 miles from Pixley, California, to the store.
In a news release sent to USA TODAY, police said Fernandez entered the Walgreens with a handgun in his pocket before shooting and killing Velasquez. He then fired his gun at other store employees as they fled the pharmacy, police added.
Surveillance footage obtained by ABC 30 and Fox 26 shows Fernandez entering the store and waving his gun at the camera before firing the weapon.
When police searched the pharmacy, officers found other bystanders who were sheltering in place inside the store, according to the release. Fernandez, who was reloading his handgun in the pharmacy's parking lot, surrendered to officers upon their arrival, police said.
Aside from Velasquez, no other injuries were reported from the incident, according to police.
Chief Chiaramonte: Fernandez 'had anger towards pharmacies'
In an interview with Madera Police, Fernandez expressed hatred for large pharmacies, Chiaramonte said, according to ABC 30.
"We're having difficulties because some of the statements show that he had anger towards pharmacies in general, not specific (sic) Walgreens," Chief Chiaramonte told Fox 26.
Anger towards the health industry and insurance providers was thrown into the spotlight in December when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside a hotel in New York City. Authorities chased and arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione in the killing, who now faces Attorney General Pam Bondi's efforts to pursue the death penalty.
'Deeply saddened'
In a statement to USA TODAY, a Walgreens spokesperson said they were working with local authorities on the investigation.
"We are deeply saddened by Monday's tragic event, which resulted in the death of one of our team members. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. We are focused on supporting our employees and will be offering on-site counseling services over the next couple of days," the company said.
A GoFundMe was also set up to help Velasquez's family.
"Erick was a truly loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. Erick loved to travel, hike, play sports and spend quality time with his children and family. He was always optimistic and always saw life with a positive attitude. He is survived by his wife and two young children," the fundraiser page says.
Contributing: Jonathan Limehouse
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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