Two shoplifters threaten Utah Walmart employee with handgun

Occurred November 3, 2014.


Two men, Tonga Angilau and Ammon Faamausili, both age 20, shoplifted from a Walmart store in West Jordan, Utah.  When confronted by security, they threatened the security guard with a handgun before fleeing.  

The two men were also responsible for shoplifting at another area Walmart Neighborhood Market.

Both men were arrested after one turned himself in.

From an article:

Tonga Angilau, 20, told investigators he confessed because of the media attention in the case, police said.

Ammon Faamausili, 20, robbed Wal-Mart with Angilau and was arrested Wednesday afternoon before Angilau turned himself in, according to West Jordan police.

The first robbery occurred Monday at the Wal-Mart at 7671 S. Campus View Drive, according to West Jordan police. The two men attempted to leave the store with unpaid merchandise and when a store security officer confronted the men, Angilau punched the employee repeatedly, police said. Faamausili, who was wearing a dark hoodie, displayed a handgun before the men fled.

The men then went to the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market at 3706 W. 9800 South and left with a cart full of miscellaneous items they hadn’t paid for, according to South Jordan police. One of the suspects ran at a store employee that followed the men out of the store, punching them to the ground.

Faamausili and Angilau were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Wednesday in connection with two counts of robbery.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Police shoot to death sword-wielding man on edge of Utah Walmart parking lot

Occurred September 10, 2014.

(UPDATED -- See below)

22-year old Darrien Hunt was seen carrying a sword in Saratoga Springs, Utah, generating calls to the police by people who witnessed him.  Two police officers then approached Hunt once he got next to the Walmart parking lot, and Hunt asked for a ride to the town of Orem.

An officer agreed, but told him to hand over the sword.  Hunt then allegedly became upset and unsheathed the sword.  When the officer pulled his gun, Hunt then ran into the edge of the Walmart parking lot, at which point the two officers shot him six times, killing him.

The officers claimed they shot him in the back to protect people in the Walmart parking lot from Hunt.

The katana-style sword turned out to be an unsharpened fake.

From an article:

The incident began on the morning of Sept. 10, when Cpl. Matt Schauerhamer responded to emergency calls about a man with a sword. He found Hunt, who said he needed a ride to Orem, according to the affidavit. Schauerhamer offered him a ride if Hunt would put down his sword; Hunt refused to, the affidavit says.

“After Corporal Schauerhamer told Mr. Hunt he couldn’t have the sword with him while riding in the back of his police car, Mr. Hunt pulled out the sword and moved toward the Corporal Schauerhamer swinging it,” the affidavit says. “Corporal Schauerhamer drew his firearm and started firing at Mr. Hunt.”

Two witnesses nearby also reported seeing a man swing his sword toward an officer before hearing gunfire. One witness said he heard a "bunch of shots,” before Hunt ran, the officers pursued him and three more shots rang out.

“Corporal Schauerhamer knew he had to stop Mr. Hunt before he was able to hurt or kill someone,” the affidavit reads. “Corporal Schauerhamer said he knew he needed to stop Mr. Hunt before Mr. Hunt could make it to the parking lot of Wal-Mart. Corporal Schauerhamer fired 3 shots at Mr. Hunt on the north side of Panda Express. Mr. Hunt dropped the sword sheath and fell to the ground. The sword came out of Mr. Hunt’s right hand and slid along the ground several feet from where Mr. Hunt fell.”

Darrien Hunt’s family’s attorney, Bob Sykes, said there is no evidence that Hunt was close to any potential victims or that he posed a threat to those at Walmart.

“Certainly the officers were not in danger… The two of them, they’re armed, they’ve already fired shots, they’ve hit him. So they’re not in immediate danger,” Sykes said. “What about the public? There’s no indication that the public was in immediate danger. Therefore, this deadly force was improper.”

Sykes said Schauerhamer and Officer Nick Judson chased Hunt, and Schauerhamer a fatal shot that they didn't need to shoot.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.


UPDATE (12/6/14):  According to an article, Darrien Hunt was shot six times in the back by the officers.  No charges are being brought against the officers.

Shots fired during altercation in Utah Walmart parking lot

Occurred July 6, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Logan Walmart (source)

(UPDATED -- see below)

Two men got into an argument in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Logan, Utah.  Both men were in respective vehicles.  The argument about money escalated, resulting in one man ramming the other, and the other opening fire.

Luckily, no one was injured.

From an article:

Chief Kim Hawkes of the North Park Police Department said a man in a green S10 truck approached another person in a black F350 truck in a Wal-Mart parking lot and said the occupant owed him money; the incident began around 2:15 p.m.

The person in the black truck observed a handgun inside the other man’s vehicle, so he drove away.

“He could see a handgun in the individual’s lap, at what time the individual demanded money of him, said that he owed him money wanted him to be paid,” Hawkes said. “The Ford driver said, ‘Hey I don’t know you, I’m not sure where you’re coming from, so you need to just leave.’”

The man in the green truck followed the other vehicle, and when the man in the black truck realized this he put the vehicle in reverse and crashed into the truck behind him. Police said the man in the green truck responded to the ramming by firing a couple of rounds at the black truck. One of the rounds hit the cab of that vehicle and shattered some glass, and a female passenger suffered minor injuries as a result.

The man who fired the shots fled, and his truck was found abandoned a short time later. Police later located the suspect and took him into custody.

Police identified the man in the green truck, who fired the shots, as Stacy Willis. The individual in the black truck was identified as Douglas Saunders.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

UPDATE (7/23/14):  Willis has plead guilty for the shooting.

UPDATE (8/31/14):  Willis has been sentenced to 1-15 years in prison.