Police said a manager and customer intervened after an armed father returned to confront his son, preventing injuries inside the crowded grocery store.
UVALDE, Texas — A handgun discharged during a struggle inside a Uvalde H-E-B after police said a father returned to the grocery store armed and confronted his son, prompting a manager and customer to intervene before officers arrived. No one was injured.
Uvalde police said the confrontation happened about 5 p.m. Oct. 19 at the H-E-B at 201 E. Main St. Investigators said the father and son were working as contractors at the store and had been involved in a disagreement earlier in the day. The father was asked to leave but later returned carrying a handgun, according to police. Authorities have not publicly identified either man.
A store manager saw the father return and followed him toward the deli department, where the two family members had been working, police said. Investigators said the father pulled out the handgun and the manager physically intervened. A struggle followed, and the weapon discharged one round. Police said the bullet did not strike anyone, and no injuries were reported among customers, workers or those involved in the confrontation.
Police said the armed man then attempted to leave the store. A customer who had witnessed the confrontation stepped in and detained him until officers arrived. Officers took the man into custody and recovered the handgun. Uvalde Police Chief Homer E. Delgado praised the manager and customer, saying their quick actions helped prevent the dangerous encounter from escalating further.
The incident prompted a major emergency response because authorities initially received a report of gunfire inside an occupied grocery store. Uvalde County Precinct 6 Constable Emmanuel Zamora said one person was taken into custody. Employees sheltered in an upstairs management area during the response, according to reports citing Zamora. The store closed for the rest of Monday and later resumed operations.
Police provided additional information as investigators continued examining the confrontation. Authorities said the man faces accusations including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving family violence, deadly conduct for discharging a firearm and assault involving family violence. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
Investigators also searched the man’s vehicle and found additional weapons and ammunition, according to police. Authorities reported finding knives, an airsoft pellet gun, a .30-06 hunting rifle and rifle and pistol ammunition. Police have not said that those items were used in the confrontation inside the store. Investigators were also working to determine how the man obtained the weapons.
H-E-B clarified that the father and son were contractors working at the location rather than regular H-E-B employees. The company said its employees were safe following the incident. Police said there was no continuing threat to the public after the suspect was taken into custody and the scene was secured.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed what caused the original disagreement between the father and son or where the bullet fired during the struggle struck. Police also have not released the suspect’s identity. The Uvalde Police Department said the investigation remained ongoing as detectives reviewed the confrontation and the weapons recovered afterward.
Author note: Last updated October 21, 2026.