FBD
09-08-2020, 12:13 PM
https://weartv.com/news/local/police-suspect-in-averted-mass-shooting-at-bass-pro-shops-in-spanish-fort-identified
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WEAR) — It was a frightening weekend at the Bass Pro Shops in Spanish Fort. The incident being what police believe could have been a mass shooting.
The store isn't letting Saturday's shooting stop them with their doors still being open on Monday.
Members of the community are aware of the shooting and are thankful it didn't turn into anything worse -- thanking police for their quick response.
Robert Smith, 38, is in custody and is charged with resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, discharging a firearm into an occupied building and second degree assault relating to injuring an officer.
https://weartv.com/resources/media/c6fa80dd-1a73-4125-9c0b-a2d18ccede45-medium16x9_BassProShopshooter.JPG
Photo: Robert Smith, 38/ Baldwin County Jail View
An employee says they saw Smith firing several rounds into the store Saturday from two different semi-automatic rifles.
Police then stunning Smith and arresting him before anyone was hurt.
Police Chief John Barber says Smith was wearing a bullet proof vest. The Chief says he had three AR-type rifles, one AR pistol, a 9 mm rifle, shotgun and two pistols with several hundred rounds of ammunition for all the weapons.
"To use at Bass Pro or anywhere where there's people, they got a shooting range for that. If you get mad, want to shoot something, go to the shooting range," says Spanish Fort resident Dave Wilson.
"You don't expect it to happen this close to home, but I mean God-willing, happy no one was hurt," Chase Stallworth adds.
Chief Barber says he has no doubt if Smith wasn't stopped so quickly, this could have been a mass shooting incident.
He says there was a woman with Smith at the time. She was released and hasn't been charged with anything.
Channel 3 attempted to reach out to the corporate office of Bass Pro Shops for their response on the incident. We have not heard back just yet.
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WEAR) — It was a frightening weekend at the Bass Pro Shops in Spanish Fort. The incident being what police believe could have been a mass shooting.
The store isn't letting Saturday's shooting stop them with their doors still being open on Monday.
Members of the community are aware of the shooting and are thankful it didn't turn into anything worse -- thanking police for their quick response.
Robert Smith, 38, is in custody and is charged with resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, discharging a firearm into an occupied building and second degree assault relating to injuring an officer.
https://weartv.com/resources/media/c6fa80dd-1a73-4125-9c0b-a2d18ccede45-medium16x9_BassProShopshooter.JPG
Photo: Robert Smith, 38/ Baldwin County Jail View
An employee says they saw Smith firing several rounds into the store Saturday from two different semi-automatic rifles.
Police then stunning Smith and arresting him before anyone was hurt.
Police Chief John Barber says Smith was wearing a bullet proof vest. The Chief says he had three AR-type rifles, one AR pistol, a 9 mm rifle, shotgun and two pistols with several hundred rounds of ammunition for all the weapons.
"To use at Bass Pro or anywhere where there's people, they got a shooting range for that. If you get mad, want to shoot something, go to the shooting range," says Spanish Fort resident Dave Wilson.
"You don't expect it to happen this close to home, but I mean God-willing, happy no one was hurt," Chase Stallworth adds.
Chief Barber says he has no doubt if Smith wasn't stopped so quickly, this could have been a mass shooting incident.
He says there was a woman with Smith at the time. She was released and hasn't been charged with anything.
Channel 3 attempted to reach out to the corporate office of Bass Pro Shops for their response on the incident. We have not heard back just yet.