GRAFTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The men involved in the Grafton Walmart Memorial Day shooting were all from Pennsylvania, and the suspect, identified by Taylor County prosecutors as William Tucker Jenkins, had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
In a press conference on Wednesday, prosecutors said that 23-year-old Jenkins was with the victim, Clayton Allen Anderson, 26, with three other people from Pennsylvania at Walmart looking for tree spikes that they couldn’t find at the Walmart in Morgantown.
Prosecutors said they do not yet know what brought the five, who lived in the Uniontown area, to Morgantown. They stopped at several different stores in the Morgantown area before going to the Grafton Walmart, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said they aren’t sure what the group intended to use the tree spikes for, although prosecutors did say they did not appear to be in West Virginia for Grafton’s Memorial Day celebration.
The five were in separate locations throughout the Walmart during the shooting, prosecutors said. Jenkins allegedly fired three times inside the store, with two shots hitting Anderson, once in the leg and once in the hand.
Prosecutors said that Jenkins then drove off, headed toward the Marion County line, with law enforcement following him. Jenkins’ vehicle became disabled, prosecutors said, and then Jenkins shot himself.
Jenkins and Anderson are both expected to survive, prosecutors said. Jenkins will be charged with wanton endangerment and attempted murder, prosecutors say, but additional charges are likely.
Jenkins’ warrant was from Pennsylvania for failure to appear for a driving under the influence of drugs case, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors say that investigators haven’t been able to speak to Jenkins yet because of the nature of his injuries. There is also additional evidence being analyzed in a lab, but prosecutors could not comment on the nature of the evidence.
Another press conference may be held with additional updates, according to prosecutors.
GRAFTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — Law enforcement in Grafton is expected to hold a news conference about the shooting that happened on Memorial Day at Walmart that left two men injured.
When 12 News reporter Makayla Schindler spoke with Taylor County Sheriff Terry Austin on Tuesday, May 30, he confirmed that one of the injured men was the shooter, and as of that update, both men were in the hospital. Austin described the shooting as an isolated incident, saying the man shot another man at Walmart, and then himself.
Austin also said that neither man was from the area. The shooting was still under investigation by the Grafton Police Department and the West Virginia State Police as of 12 News’ conversation with Sheriff Austin.
Law enforcement is scheduled to hold a press conference about the shooting at the Grafton City Building at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, per the Taylor County Prosecutor’s Office.
12 News will live stream the update in this story. Check back for updates as the press conference happens.