WOODVILLE, Texas — The man who stood on top of a self-checkout register at the Woodville Walmart in a viral video was having a mental health issue, police said.
"This is another prime example that video does not depict what is actually going on," Woodville Police Chief Mike McCulley said.
The video posted on Facebook had about 1,300 shares as of Sunday afternoon.
Walmart management called Woodville Police about a customer acting irate and jumping up on a counter just before noon Saturday, August 17, McCulley said.
Woodville Police said the man tried to drive away, but an officer stopped him in the store's parking lot. Although bystanders were concerned the man was drunk, police determined he was not under the influence but actually suffering from a mental health episode due to a medical problem, McCulley said.
The man, who is 24 or 25 years old, was taken to the Tyler County emergency room and later released to a family member.
"The video depicts him carrying a can of paint," McCulley said. "He was asked to pick that up by a family member for an art project."
The man is from outside the Woodville area, but came to help his family with the art project, he said.
"Something happened while he was at the store that created the issue," McCulley said. The man's medical issue was addressed at the hospital, he said.
The man was not charged or placed on a mental health hold because police did not consider him a danger to himself or others, McCulley said.
McCulley said he knew the community was more concerned since the shooting at an El Paso Walmart that killed 22 people and injured 24 others August 3.
"It's on everybody's mind and Walmart being a big chain, unfortunately that's what it's associated with," he said. "People need to be reminded it (the video posted on social media) does not depict the facts of what is going on."
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