NOVANEWS
tbo.com
Pasco County authorities are searching for a suspect involved in an assault at a Lutz Walmart this morning. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
A man of Middle Eastern descent was leaving Walmart, 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, about 3 a.m. Wednesday with a white, female companion. The pair was confronted by a white male who used a pellet-type gun to shoot the man at least twice in the cheek area, according to Pasco Sheriff’s Office spokesman Doug Tobin. The woman was not hurt.
The suspect used racial slurs as he attacked the victim, according to Tobin. The victim, whose identity was not released by the sheriff’s office, was treated at the scene and did not need any further medical attention, Tobin said.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is working with the store on using surveillance footage to identify the suspect. Deputies used a K-9 unit in an attempt to track the suspect, but were unable to find him.
“For our citizens out there, we want them to realize we take this very seriously and we will make sure that we use all of our resources to investigate it and possibly hunt down the suspect,” Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said.
