Person shot near Eastgate Wal-Mart

Chattanooga Police officers respond to the scene of a shooting near the Eastgate Walmart
Chattanooga Police officers respond to the scene of a shooting near the Eastgate Walmart

One man is in the hospital after he was shot near the Eastgate Wal-Mart shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday night.

A witness who asked that his name not be used said he was standing behind a nearby Pay-Less show store when he heard shouts coming from behind him.

When he turned, he saw a man running toward him from a wooded property next to the store. He said the man kept shouting "I've been shot! I've been shot!" as he struggled toward the Wal-Mart entrance.

The witness said the victim collapsed on the ground before he could make it around the front corner of the building. Seeing all of this the witness said he ran into the store and told an employee to call 911.

Chattanooga police responded to the call of a person shot and EMS transported the man to a hospital for treatment. His condition was unknown late Saturday night.

While officers investigated the apparent shooting scene next to the Wal-Mart, a half-dozen police cars were parked and left unoccupied on a small service road behind the store, with two more parked in the corner of the parking lot.

At 8:30 p.m. several officers carrying rifles and accompanied by a police K-9 unit walked out of a wooded area next to the road and back to their cars.

Store employees declined to comment or confirm details about what the shooting.

Chattanooga has experienced a rash of violence this year, with at least 39 shootings, some of which is tied to an ongoing gang war that has claimed the lives of two men and left several others injured.

The most recent shooting death was Cornelius Douglas, 27, though police have indicated that was not gang-related. Saturday's shooting was the third of the week, but none were fatal.

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