UPDATED, Monday afternoon, Dec 12: Gunman arrested at New Albany Walmart Sunday afternoon

UPDATE, Monday afternoon, Dec. 12: Charges against Roger H. Struble have been upgraded to attempted aggravated assault, a felony. Bond has been set at $15,000. Struble remains in jail as of 6 p.m. Monday.  Struble was arrested Sunday afternoon after he displayed a firearm during an argument at the New Albany Walmart. 

At 4:29 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, the alarm went out instantly all over New Albany – police radios, social media, numerous cell phone calls to 911, etc:

“Gunman at Walmart!” “Shots fired at Walmart!”

Uniformed officers of the New Albany Police Department and Union County Sheriff’s Officers arrived and made entry with drawn guns at the Walmart Store about 60 seconds later.

Benton Co. Sheriff Robby Goolsby acted quickly to avert a possible tragedy.

However, a single lawman, a visitor from a nearby county, already had the situation under control when local officers arrived.

Sheriff Robby Goolsby, elected sheriff of Benton County in 2019, was shopping in the New Albany Walmart when he became aware of an altercation at one of the check-out lanes. Goolsby quickly worked his way toward the ruckus.

He observed a man with a semi-automatic pistol, which he had apparently taken from a holster inside the waistband of his trousers. Goolsby aimed his own handgun at the man and demanded that he drop the weapon. Goolsby was able to take the gun from the man before any shots were fired.

New Albany Police officers arrived and immediately placed Roger H. Struble, age 40, under arrest. Struble is 6 ft., 9 inches tall.

Struble gave officers a current address in Hickory Flat. New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson said it is his understanding that Struble had moved to north Mississippi from the northeastern part of the United States in the recent past.

Robertson said Struble told officers that the other man involved in the argument had pulled a knife on him, but officers could find no evidence of a knife.

Struble will be held at least overnight in the Union County jail. The office of District Attorney Ben Creekmore will determine tomorrow what charges may be filed against Struble.

Local officers placed gunman under arrest at New Albany Walmart

Chief Robertson said he wanted to thank and commend Benton County Sheriff Goolsby for taking quick and decisive action to put a speedy end to what could have be a tragic situation.

No shots were fired. No one was injured.

Kendall C. Stancil of Kenny S Studio took the photograph of Struble being arrested that appears at the top of this story.