THORNTON, Colo. (AP/KGTV) - Police arrested a man suspected of nonchalantly walking into a suburban Denver Walmart and immediately opening fire with a handgun, killing two men and a woman Wednesday night.
Thornton police said 47-year-old Scott Ostrem was arrested Thursday morning, about 14 hours after he fled the store in a car. Authorities used security video to help identify him.
Thornton police spokesman Victor Avila said Wednesday night that the shooting appears random and there are no indications that it was an act of terror.
UPDATE: Walmart homicide suspect Scott Ostrem has been taken into custody pic.twitter.com/q9EPq5f4ZH
— Thornton Police Dept (@ThorntonPolice) November 2, 2017
Avila said the motive is unknown and the number of rounds fired has not been determined.
**UPDATE** Suspect identified as SCOTT OSTREM (DOB: 03-08-70), nationwide extradition homicide warrant. Any info tipline #720-977-5069 pic.twitter.com/8ulfgT6PdC
— Thornton Police Dept (@ThorntonPolice) November 2, 2017
Two men, identified as 66-year-old Carlos Moreno and 26-year-old Victor Vasquez, died inside the Walmart, which is about 10 miles north of Denver in a busy shopping center. The woman, identified as 52-year-old Pamela Marques, died later at a hospital.
Customers and employees hid or fled toward the exits after gunshots rang out.
Witness Harold Solomon describes the moment he heard the first gunshot in the #WalmartShooting pic.twitter.com/lZ78Ersr5k
— Jaclyn Allen (@jaclynreporting) November 2, 2017
10News' sister station in Denver, KMGH, obtained the following statement from Walmart regarding the shooting:
The entire Walmart family is deeply saddened by this tragic event. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones and to all who were impacted by what took place. We are assisting law enforcement however we can and are referring all requests for information to them.
Suspect described as unfriendly
Neighbors of the suspected shooter said he was unfriendly and occasionally hostile toward them.
According to the Associated Press, Gerald Burnett said he was sitting on the stairs drinking coffee one morning at his garden-style apartment building in Thornton when Scott Ostrem came down the outdoor stairway. He said Ostrem told him to move and cursed at him.
Teresa Muniz said Ostrem never returned her greetings and once or twice swore at people for sitting in the stairways or leaving laundry in communal machines.
She said she sometimes saw him carrying a bow and set of arrows or a shotgun into or out of his apartment.
Muniz added, most people in the building know one another but she never even knew Ostrem's name until now.
#thorntonwalmartshooting Arrested: Scott Ostrem, 47, police requesting any video footage associated with the incident, call 720-977-5069 pic.twitter.com/ZCYYuEPt91
— Thornton Police Dept (@ThorntonPolice) November 2, 2017
Scott Ostrem's criminal past
Police said shooting suspect Scott Ostrem has a minor criminal record.
Thornton police spokesman Victor Avila said Thursday that the 47-year-old Ostrem had a minor criminal history, but Avila didn't elaborate.
Court records show a resisting arrest charge against Ostrem was dismissed in 1999.
Court records also show Ostrem filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2015.
