A man was killed Monday afternoon after gunfire erupted inside a DeKalb County Walmart, officials said.

However, police said the shooter will not be charged since investigators have ruled it was an act of self-defense, DeKalb police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent said.

The shooting victim, a man in his late to mid-60s, died on the way to a hospital, according to Vincent. His name was not released.

Police detained a man in his late 50s in connection with the incident, which happened at the store on Gresham Road. Officers were sent to the shopping center about 2 p.m. after someone reported gunshots, Vincent said.

Investigators said the incident began as a dispute between the two men, later saying that the shooting was in self-defense. It’s not clear what led to the dispute.

The shooter has been released from custody.

In other news: 

The SUV has a handicap tag number TBV359.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Amber Hicks’ father, Mark Boggs (center), hugs Hicks’ cousin Kirstyn Bauer upon hearing the life sentence for Matthew Lanz on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Lanz was convicted a day earlier in the 2021 killings of Hicks and her husband, Justin, in their Acworth home. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Tracy Woodard from InTown Cares (left) and Lauren Hopper from Mercy Care organization work with residents at the Copperton Street encampment in August 2024. 
(Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez