Springfield Wal-Mart Shooter: Criminal Or Law-Abiding Citizen?

On July 14, 2021, a fatal shooting took place outside a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Springfield, Missouri. The victim, 33-year-old Tanner L. Stichka, was shot and killed during an altercation with the driver of a white van, who was later identified as 45-year-old Robert D. Weiser. Weiser was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree murder but was released without criminal charges being filed, leaving the question of whether he broke the law unanswered.

The shooter, Dmitriy Andreychenko, was charged with making a terrorist threat

The shooter, 20-year-old Dmitriy Andreychenko, caused panic at a Walmart store in Springfield, Missouri, on August 8, 2019. He walked into the store wearing body armor and carrying a loaded rifle, a handgun, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. He was also filming himself with his cellphone, and the incident caused shoppers and employees to flee. An off-duty firefighter held him at gunpoint until the police arrived and arrested him.

Andreychenko was booked on suspicion of first-degree making a terrorist threat and was charged with making a terrorist threat in the second degree. This is a Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000.

The charges were made because, although Missouri is an open-carry state, its laws prohibit gun owners from displaying their weapons in a threatening way. Andreychenko's actions were deemed to be reckless and caused panic, which is not protected under the First Amendment.

Andreychenko claimed that he wanted to test his Second Amendment rights and see if Walmart honored the Second Amendment. He also said that he was conducting a social experiment in the wake of a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, just days before. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of making a false report and was sentenced to 48 hours of shock incarceration and two years of probation.

He was arrested by an off-duty firefighter who held him at gunpoint

An off-duty firefighter detained the 20-year-old gunman at the Springfield, Missouri, Walmart. The firefighter held the suspect at gunpoint until the police arrived and arrested him. The suspect was later identified as Dmitriy N. Andreychenko.

The firefighter, whose identity has been kept confidential, said he drew his weapon and asked the suspect if he was the man who had been inside the Walmart. When the suspect confirmed that he was, the firefighter told him to put his hands in the air. The suspect complied and asked the firefighter to take his weapon from him. The firefighter instructed him to keep his hands in the air and wait for the police to arrive.

The incident occurred on August 8, 2019, just days after a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 people dead. Andreychenko walked into the Walmart wearing body armor and military-style clothing, with a rifle slung around his neck and a handgun on his hip. He also had more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

The off-duty firefighter's quick actions likely prevented a tragic situation from unfolding. "Hopefully, my actions prevented something like El Paso from happening," he said.

Andreychenko was arrested and charged with making a terrorist threat. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of making a false report and was sentenced to 48 hours of shock incarceration and two years of probation. He also had to undergo firearm training.

Andreychenko was testing his Second Amendment rights

The case of 20-year-old Dmitriy N. Andreychenko, who walked into a Walmart store in Springfield, Missouri, wearing body armour and carrying a loaded rifle and handgun, caused widespread panic among shoppers and raised questions about whether he broke the law. Andreychenko, who was also found to have more than 100 rounds of ammunition, claimed he was testing his Second Amendment rights.

Andreychenko's actions came just days after a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, which left 22 people dead. Understandably, his behaviour caused shoppers and employees to flee, and an off-duty firefighter held him at gunpoint until the police arrived. Andreychenko was arrested and charged with making a terrorist threat in the second degree, a class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

While Missouri is an open-carry state, Andreychenko's decision to enter a Walmart with body armour and loaded weapons has been widely criticised as a reckless act that endangered the lives of others. In the aftermath of the incident, Walmart requested that customers refrain from openly carrying firearms in its stores unless they are law enforcement officers.

Andreychenko's attorney, Dee Wampler, released a statement saying that Andreychenko is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and that his intention was to make a statement about his right to openly carry a firearm. Wampler's statement also acknowledged that Andreychenko's actions were ill-timed and a bad idea, and that he now regrets them.

Ultimately, Andreychenko pleaded guilty to an amended misdemeanour charge of making a false report and was ordered to serve 48 hours of shock incarceration and two years of probation. He was also required to undergo firearm training.

He was initially charged with a felony, but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge

On August 8, 2019, 20-year-old Dmitriy N. Andreychenko walked into a Walmart in Springfield, Missouri, wearing body armor and carrying a loaded rifle and a handgun. He also had more than 100 rounds of ammunition. This incident occurred just days after a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 people dead.

Andreychenko's actions caused panic among shoppers, and he was arrested after being held at gunpoint by an off-duty firefighter in the store's parking lot. The police booked him on suspicion of first-degree making a terrorist threat and charged him with making a terrorist threat in the second degree. This is a Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison.

However, Andreychenko pleaded guilty to an amended misdemeanor charge of making a false report. He admitted that his actions were ill-timed and a bad idea, but he did not intend to harm or frighten anyone. Under the terms of the plea, he was ordered to serve 48 hours of shock incarceration and two years of probation. He also had to undergo firearm training.

The plea deal recognized that Andreychenko's actions were reckless and dangerous, but it also took into account his claim that he was conducting a social experiment to test his Second Amendment rights. Ultimately, he was sentenced to a lesser charge than the initial felony charge.

The incident caused panic among shoppers, who fled the store

The incident at the Walmart store in Springfield, Missouri, caused panic among shoppers, who fled the store. The man, later identified as 20-year-old Dmitriy N. Andreychenko, was wearing body armour and military-style clothing, and carrying a loaded rifle and a handgun. He also had more than 100 rounds of ammunition.

The sight of the suspect caused shoppers to panic and run from the store. The store manager pulled the fire alarm, and people fled through the emergency exits. Andreychenko followed them outside, still filming the chaos on his phone.

An off-duty firefighter, who wanted to remain anonymous, confronted the suspect in the parking lot and held him at gunpoint until the police arrived. The firefighter said he hoped that by stepping in, he had prevented a mass shooting from occurring.

The incident occurred just days after a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 people dead.

Andreychenko was arrested and charged with making a terrorist threat in the second degree. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of making a false report and was sentenced to 48 hours of shock incarceration and two years of probation. He also had to undergo firearm training.

Frequently asked questions