No one was injured after a handgun discharged during a struggle inside the grocery store, according to Uvalde police.
UVALDE, Texas — A store manager and a customer intervened after an armed man confronted his son inside a Uvalde H-E-B, where a handgun discharged during a struggle Monday evening, police said. No one was injured, and the man was later arrested on three charges.
Uvalde police said the confrontation began with a disagreement between a father and son who were working as contractors at the grocery store. The father was asked to leave after the earlier dispute but later returned carrying a handgun and intending to confront his son, according to investigators. Police have not publicly identified either man. The incident occurred about 5 p.m. Oct. 19 at the H-E-B at 201 E. Main St.
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 fired one round. Police said the bullet did not strike anyone, and no injuries were reported among employees, customers or the people involved in the confrontation.
As the man tried to leave the store, a customer who had witnessed what happened detained him until officers arrived, police said. Officers then took the man into custody and recovered the handgun. Uvalde Police Chief Homer E. Delgado credited the manager and customer with helping prevent the confrontation from becoming more serious, saying their quick actions helped protect other people inside the store.
Police announced additional details as the investigation continued. Authorities said the man faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving family violence, deadly conduct for discharging a firearm and assault family violence. The charges are accusations, and the case has not been adjudicated. Police also said the man gave investigators a confession, though authorities had not publicly released a detailed account of that statement.
Investigators searched the man’s vehicle and found several 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 said investigators were working to determine how the man obtained the weapons. Officials have not publicly said that any of the items found in the vehicle, other than the handgun recovered after the store confrontation, were used during the incident.
H-E-B clarified that the father and son were contractors working at the store rather than regular H-E-B employees. During the emergency response, employees took shelter in an upstairs management area, according to Uvalde County Precinct 6 Constable Emmanuel Zamora. Authorities secured the building, and the store closed for the remainder of Monday before reopening Tuesday morning.
The incident initially prompted a significant law enforcement response because officers were responding to a report of gunfire inside an occupied grocery store. Police later said there was no continuing threat to the public. The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office, Uvalde County Constable’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the investigation, according to authorities.
Delgado said the case showed how quickly a personal dispute can become dangerous when a firearm is involved. Police have not publicly disclosed what caused the original disagreement between the father and son or released the suspect’s identity. Investigators also have not provided additional information about where the fired bullet struck inside the store.
The investigation remained ongoing Wednesday as authorities examined the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the weapons found in the man’s vehicle. No injuries were reported, and the Uvalde H-E-B had resumed operations while the criminal case moved forward.
Author note: Last updated October 21, 2026.