Milton Walmart shooting: Shoplifting suspect shot by officer dies

MILTON, Ga. - A shoplifting suspect, who investigators say was shot on Friday in the parking lot of the Milton Walmart during a carjacking in an attempt to get away from police, has died.

Shantidra Harris, 31, was accused of carjacking a white Toyota Corolla in an attempt to flee the scene and tried speeding off with the officer right in front of the car, forcing that officer to open fire, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Lt. Andrew Noblett with the Milton Police Department says officers were dispatched at around 12:15 p.m. to the Kohl’s located off Alpharetta Highway for a shoplifting call. Officers were told the suspects were fleeing the scene in a red or burgundy SUV with temporary tags. 

"We were leaving Kohl’s parking lot and two people came directly in front of our car carrying as much clothes as they could carry in their hands," said witness Stacy Wooten, who called 911.

Lt. Noblett said the officers were able to initially catch up with the suspects in the parking lot but then lost them. The SUV resurfaced a short time later, about a mile south on Alpharetta Highway at the Walmart Superstore. 

"The officers showed up. We showed them, we told them that was the car. They got out of their vehicles. They approached the cars with their guns drawn," said Wooten. 

Three people were inside when Lt. Noblett said an officer pulled over the vehicle. One was taken into custody, a second fled towards the Walmart, and a third attempted to carjack someone a white car in the parking lot, the lieutenant said. 

At that point, the responding officer opened fire, striking the suspect, Lt. Noblett said. 

The officer and suspect were taken to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. Their conditions were not immediately known. 

The GBI has been asked to investigate the use of deadly force in this incident. 

The names of two other suspects have not been released.