Wash. Walmart shooting hero: ‘This was a traumatic experience’

OAKVILLE, Wash. (AP) – The man hailed as a hero for halting a gunman’s rampage outside a Walmart store in Tumwater has come forward, saying he fired his weapon only after it became clear that the gunman might hurt more people.

KOMO-TV reports Oakville Fire Department EMT and church pastor David George described the experience at a news conference Wednesday.

George says he decided to come forward after being cleared of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of the gunman previously identified as Tim Day. Authorities say Day injured several people in a series of carjackings and a shooting before George stopped him.

George says he followed Day out of the store Sunday after he moved past him while waving a gun.

George says he moved to intercept Day after Day shot a man in an attempted carjacking. George says he fired at Day after Day entered another vehicle.

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Information from: KOMO-TV, http://www.komotv.com/