Deadly Shootout At Calif. Toys "R" Us

(AP)  The shooting occurred in a crowded toy store on the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, but authorities say it wasn't related to the bargain-hunting frenzy. Instead, two men pulled guns and killed each other after the women with them erupted into a bloody brawl, witnesses said.

Authorities released few details about the mayhem that broke out at the Toys "R" Us store around 11:30 a.m. Friday, sending scared shoppers fleeing. Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said the fight was not over a toy and that handguns were found by the men's bodies. He refused to say whether the shooting was gang-related.

The victims were identified as Alejandro Moreno, 39, of Desert Hot Springs, and Juan Meza, 28, of Cathedral City. No one else was hurt.

Witnesses Scott and Joan Barrick said they were checking out of the store when the brawl began between two women, each with a man. The women were near the checkout area, but the Barricks did not think the women had purchases.

One woman suddenly started punching the other woman, who fought back as blood flowed from her nose, said Scott Barrick, 41. The man who was with the woman being punched pulled a gun halfway out of his pocket, then shoved it back in, he said.

"He pulled his gun right next to me. I turned to look for my wife, and she was already hiding," Scott Barrick said.

"I was scared," said Joan Barrick, 40. "I didn't want to die today. I really didn't want to die today, and I think that's what we were all thinking."

The other man pulled a gun and pointed it at the first man but forgot to cock it, Scott Barrick said. The first man tried to run but was blocked by the line of people, then ran back toward the store's electronics section as the other man fired his gun, he said.

The first man reached a dead-end in electronics, turned around and ran toward an exit, pulling his gun and firing back, Scott Barrick said.

"He went up to the cash register, he went to put his hand on the thing and he just went phoomp," he said, indicating the man fell.

He said he did not see what happened to the other man.

Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with handguns shot and killed each other.

"I think the obvious question everyone has is who takes loaded weapons into a Toys "R" Us?" he said. "I doubt it was the casual holiday shopper."

Ray Turner, 20, said he was two aisles away when two women began shouting and screaming at each other and he had a clear view of the fight until a crowd clustered around them. Both women had children, he said.

"We thought it was just a fight and then someone yelled: `He's got a gun! He's got a gun!' You really couldn't see nothing because there was a crowd," Turner said.

Rafael Gomez, 11, said he and his father had been in the store about 20 minutes before the shooting but were in a nearby Pizza Hut when they saw people pouring out of the store screaming.

"We just saw them running and crying. I was kind of scared," Rafael said. "We got lucky."

Toys "R" Us issued a statement expressing outrage over the violence.

"We are working closely with local law enforcement officials to determine the specific details of what occurred," the statement said. "Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to associate the events of today with Black Friday."

Palm Desert is a resort town about 120 miles east of Los Angeles.

[bks59]

i would have thought this happened in TX.

[armydog2]

This is just f@cking insane.

[janeyre-2009]

They shot each other. No one else was hurt... Sounds like a winner to me... Thank goodness no one else was hurt.

[hitoyou11]

He worked for GM and was mad cause he was going to lose his job. No good UAW menber. He ran GM out of money becayse of his greed, and then got mad. To bad so sad.

[pbcityvet]

It sounds as though two upstanding citizens saved the courts alot of time and money. I feel for their children who have to grow up without rolemodels but do they really want a rolemodel for fathers that has to carry a guns into a toy store.

[macrec]

Personally, I won''t own a gun but, that is my choice. I would never take away the right of others to own a gun if they go through the proper background checks and receive a license and get the proper training.
I also understand that there are many guns on the street that are illegal. There are too many out there to get everyone. But, if what it takes is metal detectors at the entrances to public buildings to prevent this type of shooting - then that is what should happen. The heck with someone''s civil rights, I think life is more important. Sure the cost of security goes up, the stores'' rent goes up and the price of products go up but the consumer is safer. Isn''t that the bottom line.?!

If people want to be angry at each other and shoot each other - let them do it where the general public has a lessor chance of being involved. Innocent people should NOT have to pay the price of someone else''s arguement.

[littlebit123]

ms111: how would Toys R Us or any other store beef up security to prevent felons from beating on, shooting or killing each other where ever they feel like it? Metal detectors? Strip searches? Armed militia? No amount of lawsuit can prevent an individual''s lack of civility. It''s the individuals'' own personal conduct, not lack of security, unless you want a police state. I''ve read that Singapore has a great approach to people like these (the women brawling in a public place and instigating the mayhem); the the men took care of each other. Singapore evidently doesn''t put up with anything, but they do have a safe, clean and decent-acting society, or else (NOT implying that Singapore is a police state, rather a more civilized-acting society who enforce standards of decent behavior) However, I don''t believe many Americans could adjust to that.

[slim1h2o]

remrafdn

I agree, the same thing crossed my mind when I 1st saw the name and realized who it was.

LOL

[littlebit123]

Further evidence that shopping on the internet is the only way to go - save time, money, gasoline, find exactly what you want, have it delivered to your door (you pay shipping whether you buy in-store or on-line), all from the comfort of your own home and not having to put up with chance of being in the middle of something like this. Let''s face it, our society has hit rock bottom. The bright side is that the only way now is up, God willing.

[slim1h2o]

slim: It is kind of nice that the dipstick, truthrocks, hasn''''t posted for a few hours. He has posted as many as 15 rants in 15 minutes. He was deleted about 70 times the other day. Thanks, CBS.

Posted by remrafdn at 08:13 AM : Nov 30, 2008

And with good reason, that he gets deleted so much, his posting style is soo obnoxious!

Even when he makes a good argument for his cause, I don''t listen to him. But what he fails to understand is that no matter how much he rants, it won''t change a thing, till some one figures a way to stop people from killing each other. Regardless of their weapon of choice.

And thats the real tragedy...