Rattler strikes in Walmart

A  man was bitten by a rattlesnake while shopping for shoes in a Wal-Mart store in Brownwood, Texas, 120 miles southwest of Fort Worth.  

A report in Atlanta Constitution Journal says Douglas Hatchett was examining shoes on a rack when a rattlesnake concealed behind a shoebox bit him Tuesday. When the snake fell to the floor, Hatchett stomped it to death.

Police, fire and emergency medical crews were called to the scene.

The 31-year-old shopper and the dead snake were hustled to Brownwood Regional Medical Center. There, the snake was confirmed as a rattler, and Hatchett was treated and released. Wal-Mart officials said the matter was  being investigated.