A suspect reportedly attacked an off-duty police officer working as a security guard at a South Carolina Walmart.
WSPA reported that the Spartanburg Police Department were called to the Dorman Centre Shopping Center Walmart in Spartanburg around 1:30 p.m. to reports of a fight and a disturbance.
While officers responded to the scene, the call was escalated to an “officer down” call because an off-duty cop with the department had been attacked while he was working as a security guard at Walmart.
Police said the off-duty cop had been attacked by a suspect within the store.
After the incident, the suspect reportedly fled the scene by foot, across Walmart’s parking lot.
The suspect attempted to flee in a black car registered to his mother, but failed to get very far after he crashed into another car.
The suspect then ran into the PetSmart parking lot across the street from the Walmart shopping center, where he was arrested.
Police arrested James Ray Cunningham, 22, on charges of attempted murder, assault and battery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Cunningham is currently being held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center.
At Cunningham’s bond hearing, Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette played surveillance video of the attack and said he had “never seen” anything like this.
The video showed Cunningham allegedly sprint toward the officer and pummel him with several punches and blows.
“I’ve been in this business a long time,” Barnette said, before asking the judge to deny bond for Cunningham. “I’ve never seen an attack like this.”