2 Women Charged After Gun-Waving Fracas At Manchester Walmart: Cops

MANCHESTER, CT — Two women were arrested after an incident with a gun at the Manchester Walmart, police said.

The altercation took place just before 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Walmart is located at 420 Buckland Hills Drive.

A caller told police that someone had pulled a gun while a group of people were fighting in the store, according to an incident report. Police identified two main combatants as 20-year-old Jaida Harris of Hartford, and 23-year-old Maya Dawson of Hartford.

Investigators determined the Jaida and Maya came to the store together and were involved in a "heated verbal dispute" with other customers, according to an incident report. At one point, Harris went into a handbag that Dawson was carrying, pulled out a loaded gun and started waiving
it around in the store while threatening customers, according to an incident report.

The gun never went off and it was eventually was placed back in the bag, police said.

As the women were leaving Walmart, police headed them off and seized the gun, which was loaded with 17 9mm rounds, according to an incident report. It had no serial number or identifiers, police said.

Harris was taken into custody and has been charged with:

• Second-degree breach of peace (4 counts)
• Conspiracy to commit second-degree breach of peace
• Risk of injury to a minor and a related conspiracy
• First-degree reckless endangerment (4 counts) and a related conspiracy
• First-degree threatening and a related conspiracy
• Criminal possession of a firearm
• Criminal use of a firearm
• Possession of a large-capacity magazine
• Carrying a pistol without a permit
• Violation of a lower receiver restrictions
• Interfering with an officer

An active probation warrant had also been issued for her, police said.

Harris was held on bonds totaling $800,000 and was to appear in Manchester Superior Court Thursday.

Dawson was taken into custody and has been charged with:

• Second-degree breach of peace (4 counts) and a related conspiracy
• Violation of lower receiver restrictions
• Possession of a large-capacity magazine
• Conspiracy to commit first-degree threatening
• Conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor
• Conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment (4 counts)

Dawson was held on a $250,000 bond and was to appear in Manchester Superior Court Thursday.