A horrifying scene unfolded inside a Las Vegas grocery store after police say a gunman stormed in and murdered his ex-wife and her new husband before brave bystanders tackled him to the ground.
Authorities say 43-year-old Alejandro Estrada entered a Smith’s grocery store Tuesday morning armed with multiple weapons and opened fire on Amanda Rosas and her husband, Victor Frias Rosas, who both worked at the store.
The married couple died at the scene.
According to reports, Amanda had previously been married to Estrada, and the former couple were still locked in a bitter custody dispute involving their two children — a 12-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter.
Tragically, the shooting happened on the boy’s 12th birthday.
Police records also reportedly show Estrada owed more than $2,800 in unpaid child support at the time of the attack.
Shoppers inside the store described the terrifying chaos as customers ran screaming for safety.
One witness said the suspected gunman appeared completely emotionless during the attack.
“He was completely calm. No expression. No nothing,” shopper Paula Milton told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“You could tell it was him because everyone else was running and screaming, and he was like no big deal.”
The violence finally ended when several heroic bystanders rushed the suspect and physically restrained him until police officers arrived.
Authorities praised the civilians for potentially preventing even more bloodshed.
“Those individuals showed tremendous courage and did an outstanding job,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Robert Price said during a press conference.
Police say Estrada was taken into custody at the scene and transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries suffered during the takedown.
He is now facing 12 charges, including two counts of open murder.
Amanda and Victor Frias Rosas had reportedly gotten married just last year.
Investigators continue working to piece together exactly what led up to the deadly shooting, but police confirmed the suspected gunman had ongoing custody-related conflicts connected to one of the victims.
Estrada is expected to appear in court Wednesday afternoon.