Father of accused shooter at Smithfield Walmart: 'This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been robbed'

In a hearing on Monday, Matthew Jason Beddingfield, 19, opted for a court-appointed attorney. Beddingfield, who turned himself in to authorities early Saturday morning, is being held in the Johnston County jail on a $1 million bond.

Authorities said 17-year-old Hoctovio Garcia was shot in the head around 5 p.m. Friday when Beddingfield fired his gun in the parking lot of the Smithfield Walmart, located at 1299 N. Brightleaf Blvd.

Garcia was in critical but stable condition by Monday, according to Smithfield police Capt. Ryan Sheppard.

Beddingfield was mostly quiet at Monday's hearing and appeared to be tearing up at times. His parents and a friend were present at the hearing.

"They pulled guns on him," Beddingfield's father, Jason Beddingfield, said. "They took his money, tore the console out of his car and then they exited. And in the process of them exiting, one of them got shot."

"It isn't like he was randomly shooting at people," he said.

"The fact is, he was involved with some individuals who were there trying to rob him. They did rob him, as a matter of fact, and he shot at them," Jason Beddingfield said of his son.

Police said the teenage victim was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Witnesses said chaos broke out after the gunfire. One said he heard at least a dozen shots.

“I was coming out the door, and we hear bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam — I don’t know, 12, 15 times,” said Bobby Barbour. “Everybody was ducking, running to the door, trying to get in.”

The warrant for Matthew Beddingfield's arrest says he acted "with malice" after "premeditation and deliberation."

"I'm sorry that somebody got shot, but also this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been robbed," his father said.