Man and Mother Arrested After Shooting in Costa Mesa Stater Bros. Parking Lot
Rodney Otis Rich, 37, and his mother Tamie Sue Walker, 63, pleaded not guilty on August 20, 2026, to charges arising from the August 18 shooting in a Costa Mesa Stater Bros. parking lot; the victim is described in the criminal complaint as permanently paralyzed. Rich is held without bail on felony attempted-murder and related charges; Walker faces only a misdemeanor and was released without bond.
Alleged shooter Rodney Otis Rich, 37, and his mother Tamie Sue Walker, 63 (spelling per the criminal complaint; CMPD had initially spelled the name Tammie Walker). The victim has not been publicly identified.
A man was shot in the Stater Bros. parking lot on the 2100 block of Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa on August 18, 2026. The victim is described in the criminal complaint as permanently paralyzed. Rodney Otis Rich, 37, faces felony attempted murder and related charges; his mother Tamie Sue Walker, 63, faces a misdemeanor only.
Shooting at the Stater Bros. supermarket, 2100 block of Newport Boulevard, Costa Mesa. Arrests made at the Costa Mesa Village apartments, 2400 block of Newport Boulevard.
Shooting at approximately 7:35 a.m. on August 18, 2026. Arrests at approximately 3:00 p.m. the same day. Not-guilty pleas entered August 20, 2026.
No motive has been established. CMPD has stated the incident was not gang-related. The relationship, if any, between the suspects and the victim remains publicly unknown.
As of August 20, 2026, both suspects have been arraigned and have entered not-guilty pleas. Rodney Otis Rich is held without bail; Tamie Sue Walker was released without bond after the Orange County District Attorney declined to file the attempted-murder and conspiracy allegations she was originally booked on. The victim's condition has been described in the criminal complaint as permanent paralysis; no further public update has been issued by CMPD or the hospital.
At approximately 7:35 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, a man was shot in the parking lot of the Stater Bros. supermarket on the 2100 block of Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa. The victim was transported to a hospital and initially reported in critical condition. According to the criminal complaint as reported by the OC Register, he is permanently paralyzed.
Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) located and arrested two suspects at the Costa Mesa Village apartments on the 2400 block of Newport Boulevard — roughly a quarter mile north of the shooting scene — at approximately 3:00 p.m. the same day.
On August 20, 2026, the Orange County District Attorney filed charges and both suspects appeared in court.
Rodney Otis Rich, 37, pleaded not guilty to felony counts of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a stolen and loaded firearm in public, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The complaint includes enhancements for premeditation, great bodily injury, and the victim's brain injury and paralysis. The complaint also cites a prior April 2021 criminal-threat conviction. Rich also faces a misdemeanor count of resisting/obstructing a peace officer. He is held without bail.
Tamie Sue Walker, 63 — identified by CMPD as "Tammie Walker" at the time of arrest, with the spelling corrected in the formal complaint — was charged only with misdemeanor resisting/obstructing, the same misdemeanor Rich faces. The DA did not file the attempted-murder or conspiracy allegations on which she had been booked. Walker pleaded not guilty and was released without bond.
No motive has been established. CMPD has stated the incident was not gang-related. The relationship, if any, between the suspects and the victim is not publicly known.
- Preliminary hearing or arraignment dates for Rich
- Any further charging action against Walker
- Official update on the victim's condition from CMPD or hospital
- Sentencing exposure calculation once a preliminary hearing date is set
- Aug 20, 00:00(2 days ago)
Orange County District Attorney files charges. Rodney Otis Rich, 37, arraigned on felony attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and related charges with enhancements for premeditation, great bodily injury, and the victim's permanent brain injury and paralysis; held without bail. Tamie Sue Walker, 63, charged only with misdemeanor resisting/obstructing; DA declines attempted-murder and conspiracy counts; released without bond. Both plead not guilty.
- NEW3 days ago
A man and his mother were arrested after a shooting at a grocery store parking lot in Costa Mesa left one person critically injured Tuesday. The Costa Mesa Police Department identified the suspects as Rodney Otis Rich, 37, and his mother, Tammie Walker, 63, both Costa Mesa residents. Police were cal