Baytown Walmart Associate Fired Gun in Parking Lot During Curbside Shift

A 21-year-old Walmart associate in Baytown, Texas, faces a felony charge after discharging a firearm in the store's parking lot while on a curbside pickup shift, Baytown police say.

Rosel Simpson was detained at the scene after the Thursday afternoon incident at the Walmart on Garth Road near West Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Road. Two parked vehicles were struck by gunfire. No bystanders were injured. Baytown police have since charged Simpson with deadly conduct/discharge of firearm, a third-degree felony under Texas law that carries a sentencing range of two to ten years and up to $10,000 in fines if convicted.

According to police, three men Simpson said he had prior problems with approached him while he was performing curbside pickup duties. Simpson told officers he felt threatened and fired. Police recovered the firearm at the scene, and all parties are cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

The role Simpson was performing at the time matters for how the store responds. Curbside pickup associates work outside the sales floor, often in small crews or alone, with limited direct access to in-store security compared to colleagues working inside. That positioning shapes both the risk environment and the response protocol. Store managers coordinating with their district and Global Security teams will need to gather witness statements, preserve parking-lot camera footage, and address any immediate staffing gaps on curbside shifts before the next business day.

Associates present during or near the incident may be asked to provide statements to Baytown police or to the store's internal investigative team as the case moves forward. For coworkers who feel shaken, the first step is speaking with a People Team lead about available options. Walmart's Employee Assistance Program, accessible through OneWalmart, provides confidential counseling at no cost to hourly associates and includes crisis support specifically for traumatic workplace events. Associates can also ask their manager whether any leave taken in response qualifies for pay protection, as that determination flows through the People Team and district operations rather than being decided at the store level.

Managers handling the aftermath have a narrow documentation window. Staffing changes, schedule adjustments, and any reassignment tied to the incident should be logged in GTA as they occur. If Simpson's shifts need to be covered pending legal proceedings, the paid or unpaid status of that absence requires input from both the People Team and Global Security. Communication with the broader team should stay grounded in confirmed facts: what police have reported publicly, what the store has verified, and what remains under active investigation.

Any associate who wants a refresher on protocols for working outside the main store footprint, including de-escalation and emergency contact procedures, can access Walmart's workplace safety training through the OneWalmart learning portal. The Simpson case remains active as investigators continue their work.