A Brookland man is facing multiple charges after police say he fired a gun in the parking lot of a Jonesboro Walmart on Wednesday.
According to the Jonesboro Police Department, officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the Walmart on East Highland Drive. Upon arriving, officers found 25-year-old Hayden Freeman sitting in his car. Police said he refused to comply with their commands but was eventually detained.
Witness accounts detailed Freeman acting erratically and attempting to enter a white truck parked next to his vehicle. When he was unable to gain access, Freeman returned to his car and reportedly began shooting. An affidavit states that Freeman fired from inside his vehicle, striking the truck multiple times. The gunfire flattened both of the truck’s tires, pierced the fender well, and damaged the bed, wheel, and opposite tire.
Police said video footage confirmed the witnesses' descriptions, and detectives recovered a pistol and 13 or 14 empty shell casings from Freeman’s car. Authorities arrested Freeman and took him to a local hospital, citing concerns that he appeared under the influence of drugs and displayed highly erratic behavior.
Freeman’s mother later told authorities he had been released from a behavioral health facility earlier in the week. After his hospitalization, Freeman was booked into jail and placed on a mental health hold.
On Wednesday, a judge found probable cause to charge Freeman with five offenses, including felony criminal mischief. His bond was set at $50,000, and he was ordered to wear an ankle monitor pending further legal proceedings.