Walmart in Monkey Junction closes following shooting

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident that occurred Saturday evening at the Walmart in Monkey Junction.

According to officials, several Walmart employees attempted to stop a man from shoplifting.

A fight broke out, during which the suspect brandished a gun and fired one shot, hitting a Walmart employee. The victim, identified as Mark Thomas Paz, tragically died at the scene. The suspect, Dean Michael Newman, was taken into custody and has been arrested for first-degree murder, with no bond set.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Walmart closed, leaving many shoppers who arrived expecting to shop facing locked doors.

We reached out to Walmart for information regarding the duration of the closure. In a statement, they said:

“We are heartbroken about what happened to Mark. Violence like this is unacceptable. We are focused on supporting our associates and will be offering on-site counseling services. The store is currently closed, and we continue to assist the authorities with their investigation.”

As of now, no timeline has been released for when the store will reopen.

Across the street from Walmart, employees at the Tobacco and Vape Mart witnessed the chaos unfold. One employee, Haven, recounted what she saw from her store window:

“They just started running across the parking lot. There were people running out of Walmart, and there were just a lot of cops coming up. He was a regular here; it’s very sad to know he was a very sweet and nice person.” Haven expressed her condolences, saying her thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s loved ones.