Woman Arrested After Handgun Incident in Walmart Parking Lot

On November 17, 2025 Hazard City Police arrested Evelyn Nickells after investigators say she waved a handgun during an argument in the Walmart parking lot. Officers responded to a call and located the disturbance in the grocery pickup area, where witnesses identified the source of the threat as a pickup truck.

Chief Zach Miller described the scene and the early stages of the investigation, saying, "Officers arrived on scene and were able to determine that it was coming from an F150 somewhere around the grocery area, grocery pickup area of the parking lot." Investigators took witness statements that helped them confirm the actions of the woman in the truck. "Officers were able to determine through witness statements that the female in the truck was waving a handgun," Miller said. "At the point officers were able to arrest her on charges."

Nickells was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct, wanton endangerment and terroristic threatening. Officials briefly placed the store on lockdown as a precaution while officers secured the scene. Miller said the entire sequence, from the initial call to the arrest, took nine minutes. "To do all that in nine minutes is pretty good."

No officers, the suspect, or members of the public were injured during the incident. "You know the end goal of us it to always maintain public safety," Miller said. "From my point of view, it is a win-win because officers weren’t hurt, the suspect wasn’t hurt, and nobody within the public was hurt."

The episode highlights immediate operational questions for local authorities and businesses about managing confrontations in high traffic retail spaces. Rapid police response limited physical harm, but the incident underscores broader policy issues for Perry County, including enforcement of firearm related offenses in public places, coordination between retailers and law enforcement, and the role of witness accounts in fast moving investigations.

For residents, the incident is a reminder of the intersections between everyday commerce and public safety. Local leaders and store managers will face pressure to review security protocols and community advocates may press for clearer policies on preventing similar episodes in the future.