Witnesses: Fatal shooting followed toy store brawl

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081129/ap_on_re_us/toy_store_shooting

Witnesses: Fatal shooting followed toy store brawl

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press Writer Gillian Flaccus,

Associated Press Writer – Sat Nov 29, 7:30 am ET

PALM DESERT, Calif. – The shooting occurred in a crowded toy store on

the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, but authorities

say it wasn't related to the bargain-hunting frenzy. Instead, two men

pulled guns and killed each other after the women with them erupted

into a bloody brawl, witnesses said.

Authorities released few details about the mayhem that broke out at

the Toys " R " Us store around 11:30 a.m. Friday, sending scared

shoppers fleeing. Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez

said the fight was not over a toy and that handguns were found by the

men's bodies. He refused to say whether the shooting was gang-related.

The victims were identified as Moreno, 39, of Desert Hot

Springs, and Meza, 28, of Cathedral City. No one else was hurt.

Witnesses and Joan Barrick said they were checking out of the

store when the brawl began between two women, each with a man. The

women were near the checkout area, but the Barricks did not think the

women had purchases.

One woman suddenly started punching the other woman, who fought back

as blood flowed from her nose, said Barrick, 41. The man who

was with the woman being punched pulled a gun halfway out of his

pocket, then shoved it back in, he said.

" He pulled his gun right next to me. I turned to look for my wife,

and she was already hiding, " Barrick said.

" I was scared, " said Joan Barrick, 40. " I didn't want to die today. I

really didn't want to die today, and I think that's what we were all

thinking. "

The other man pulled a gun and pointed it at the first man but forgot

to cock it, Barrick said. The first man tried to run but was

blocked by the line of people, then ran back toward the store's

electronics section as the other man fired his gun, he said.

The first man reached a dead-end in electronics, turned around and

ran toward an exit, pulling his gun and firing back, Barrick

said.

" He went up to the cash register, he went to put his hand on the

thing and he just went phoomp, " he said, indicating the man fell.

He said he did not see what happened to the other man.

Palm Desert Councilman Jim Ferguson said police told him two men with

handguns shot and killed each other.

" I think the obvious question everyone has is who takes loaded

weapons into a Toys " R " Us? " he said. " I doubt it was the casual

holiday shopper. "

Ray , 20, said he was two aisles away when two women began

shouting and screaming at each other and he had a clear view of the

fight until a crowd clustered around them. Both women had children,

he said.

" We thought it was just a fight and then someone yelled: `He's got a

gun! He's got a gun!' You really couldn't see nothing because there

was a crowd, " said.

Gomez, 11, said he and his father had been in the store about

20 minutes before the shooting but were in a nearby Pizza Hut when

they saw people pouring out of the store screaming.

" We just saw them running and crying. I was kind of scared, "

said. " We got lucky. "

Toys " R " Us issued a statement expressing outrage over the violence.

" We are working closely with local law enforcement officials to

determine the specific details of what occurred, " the statement

said. " Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the

result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved.

Therefore, it would be inaccurate to associate the events of today

with Black Friday. "

Palm Desert is a resort town about 120 miles east of Los Angeles.