At approximately 4:48 a.m. on July 27, the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department received a 911 call from an employee at Walmart stating an armed male subject came through the garden center while employees were preparing the store to open. A second employee also called 911 stating they heard what sounded like a gunshot just outside the store. The armed suspect then held employees at gunpoint. The suspect was later identified as 52-year-old Solomon Dominguez, a resident of Concho who was arrested on July 19 for a shooting incident at the Country Store in Concho. Officers arrived on scene and secured the building. Dominguez then called 911 demanding to speak with an officer. A Snowflake-Taylor Police officer began speaking with him and negotiating. During negotiations, Dominguez became distracted and placed his handgun on a counter inside the store. A quick-thinking employee grabbed the gun and at the same time he and the remaining staff inside the store ran out of the store through a nearby fire exit. They contacted an officer in the parking lot, turned over the handgun and advised the subject may have had more weapons with him. The White Mountain Special Response Team (SRT) arrived shortly thereafter at which point negotiations were transferred to a negotiator. After several minutes, SRT made entry into the store through an open back door. The SRT team made their way through the store to the subject’s location near the service center. SRT engaged Dominguez, they were able to de-escalate the situation and he was quickly taken into custody. Dominguez was arrested at approximately 6:57 a.m. without further incident. He was then transported to Summit Medical Center in Show Low for evaluation. “Our community was faced with something we do not see very often and through extensive law enforcement partnerships and quick-thinking Walmart employees, we were able to bring this incident to a quick and peaceful resolution,” said Chief Robert Martin of the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department. ““I am extremely grateful that no Walmart staff or officers were injured during the course of this event. I would like to thank the members of the White Mountain Special Response Team for their quick and decisive actions to resolve this situation. Thank you to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Show Low Police Department, Pinetop-Lakeside Police Department, Navajo County MCAT, AZ DPS GIITEM, AZ DPS CID as well as the FBI for their support and assistance to our community. This community thrives when we all work together for a common goal and I am re-assured once again of the strong bonds and brotherhood of our tightly knit law enforcement family and am grateful for the continued support we receive.”
