Police fatally shoot woman who was holding Walmart employee hostage

Police have fatally shot a woman who held another person hostage in a Mississippi supermarket.

Authorities say that Corlunda McGinister, 21, of West Helena, Arkansas, held hostage a Walmart worker while demanding to speak to a TV news anchor.

The incident happened on Wednesday evening (21 December) in a Walmart in the Jackson suburb of Richland.

Footage from the incident has been circulating on social media, where you can hear the woman shouting that she needed help.

In the footage, you can see the woman holding a gun in one hand and in the other holding a woman wearing a Walmart employee uniform.

504bigmama/Twitter

In one clip, the woman can be seen pulling the Walmart worker away from armed police, with the worker understandably looking terrified for her life.

The officers ask the woman to put her hands up as she yelled that she did not want to hurt anyone.

Now, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety has said that the woman with the gun was shot dead and that no other injuries occurred from the shooting.

While the incident was unfolding at around 5:45pm local time, Richland Police Department posted an update on social media - it read: "RPD is working an incident at Walmart involving a weapon.

"The scene is secure and we will provide updates when they become available.

"We ask to avoid the area at and around Walmart at this time."

They then provided worried residents an update two hours later: "RPD had an officer-involved shooting this evening at Walmart.

"All of our officers are safe. Walmart is secure and closed at this time. MBI will be conducting an independent investigation."

Robert K. Chin - Storefronts / Alamy Stock Photo

Following the confirmation that McGinister had been shot dead, Richland police chief Nick McLendon told WAPT-TV: "It's devastating for all parties involved — the officers, everybody that was involved in this situation.

"You know, with the Christmas season coming, mental health is a big deal because of the stress involved in the Christmas season."

The chief went on to state that people can contact the police department if they are struggling with their mental health or if the struggles of the Christmas season is getting too much.

Investigations surrounding the shooting are ongoing, with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation looking into the case.