Purse-snatcher fires at employees chasing him at Texas Walmart

Occurred January 15, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Spring Branch Walmart (source)

A man grabbed a purse and ran off with it, at a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Spring Branch, Texas.  When Walmart employees gave chase, the man then pulled out a handgun and fired at them.  Luckily, no one was hurt.  The robber got away.

From an article:

The Walmart employees were giving chase when the suspect pulled out a gun and started shooting at them. Luckily, no one was hurt. 

Mary Flanagan was in the store shopping and had no idea what was happening. 

”Oh, I didn’t see that, I just was in there for about 20 or 30 minutes. I’m gonna’ go be very careful. That makes me almost afraid to come up here by myself,” the 85-year-old shopper said. 

Flanagan was nervous, thinking she could’ve been the victim. “Not so easy; I don’t feel good right now. I go in there all the time, but my word. I don’t know what I would’ve done. I would’ve probably given it to them and let him go because I’m scared to death of guns,” she said.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Shoplifters pull gun on Walmart employee in Texas

Occurred January 15, 2014.

(UPDATED -- See below)

Three men were witnessed stealing items from a Lindale, Texas, Walmart store.  When an employee confronted the men, one of them pulled a gun on him.  The men then fled.

One of the men has since been identified.

From an article:

Police have revealed Henry Ray Marshall and Kelly Ann Edwards as the remaining suspects in this incident. 

 Marshall and Edwards along with Adam Bowers, who was captured Wednesday night by Smith County officials, are believed to be the other reported robbers who were seen taking merchandise from the store, located at 105 East Centennial Boulevard. 

The suspects were captured on the surveillance system around 5:30 a.m., Monday, stealing items. When a Wal-Mart employee confronted the suspects, one of them reportedly pulled a gun.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.


UPDATE (3/1/14):  Adam Bowers has now been indicted for the robbery. He is also accused of other robberies and a shooting in the area.

Man pulls handgun and threatens rival for girlfriend at Maine Walmart

Occurred December 31, 2013.


On New Year's Eve, a 23-year old man, Matthew Dewitt, was in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Ellsworth, Maine, when he got into a confrontation with another man over his former girlfriend.  He then pulled a gun on the man and threatened to kill him.

From an article:

Matthew W. Dewitt, 23, was arrested New Year's Eve after officers from multiple agencies went to Walmart on Myrick Street, Ellsworth police said. Police had been told a man with a handgun was outside the store. Responding officers found Dewitt in a vehicle parked in the Walmart parking lot.

Dewitt is accused of pointing a handgun at his rival during a confrontation in the parking lot over Dewitt's former girlfriend, according to police. Dewitt was arrested without further incident on charges of criminal threatening and threatening display of a dangerous weapon, Ellsworth police Sgt. Shawn Willey wrote in an incident summary report.

The article didn't say if Dewitt had a conceal carry license.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

A drastic increase in Walmart Shootings in 2013!

(image from Per's Decent Blog)

Here at the Walmart Shootings blog, I continue to chronicle the shameful trend of gun crimes and shootings committed at nationwide Walmart stores.

In 2012, I was amazed to have chronicled a whopping 54 shootings at Walmart stores, more than one a week.  Here is a list.  Along with 24 non-shooting gun crimes, this amounted to 75 gun crimes that I could find.

Little did I realize that 2013 would blow the previous year out of the water!

In 2013, Walmart stores had 81 shootings, surpassing the previous year by last October!  That's 27 more shootings, or a 50% increase over 2012!  Those shootings left 24 people dead and 40 injured on Walmart properties nationwide.  See a full listing HERE.

But the shocking figures don't stop at shootings.  Armed robberies using guns at Walmart stores were also up substantially.  In 2012 there were a mere 21 that I could find.  In 2013, that number jumped to 75!  That's a whopping three and a half times more armed robberies with guns in 2013!

In all, there were at least 195 different gun-related crimes and accidents at Walmart stores nationwide in 2013, a drastic 2.5-times increase!  The vast majority occurred in the parking lots, but there were plenty inside the stores too.  There were 8 accidental shootings, 6 kidnappings using guns, 3 incidents of stray bullets, and 34 incidents that involved shoplifters.  Ten incidents were drug-related.

The NRA wants us to believe that arming people more would solve the problem, but the facts contradict that philosophy.  In 2013, people with conceal carry permits were RESPONSIBLE for twelve incidents of gun crimes and accidental shootings!  And the only self-defense shootings that happened on Walmart properties were by law enforcement and an armored car security guard.  In fact, three separate illegal shootings were committed by active Walmart employees!  Walmart currently allows conceal carry in its stores.  You would think that 12 incidents by permit holders would get them to rethink that policy! 

Law-enforcement involved shootings at Walmarts also jumped by 100%, up from 10 in 2012 to 20 in 2013!

Walmart continues to sell guns and ammo in many of their stores, including assault weapons.  They sell more guns to civilians than any other gun seller in America, and probably the world.  Often those gun displays are poorly-watched.  I've seen in myself!  No wonder that there were at least 15 different incidents in 2013 of guns and ammo stolen from Walmart stores, many of which were never recovered to my knowledge.

So what is it that causes Walmart stores to be such a magnet for gun crimes and shootings??  That's a question that Walmart will have to answer, and they'd better do it fast.  People are dying and getting maimed at their stores, and the numbers are only increasing!

That's why their motto should read:

 Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Gunman and accomplices rob North Carolina Walmart at gunpoint

Occurred December 22, 2013.


After the Walmart store in Red Springs, North Carolina, had closed, a man with a gun robbed a clerk of the store money bag.  It was likely an inside job, since an employee had to let the man into the store, and the robber knew when the money would be transferred.

Three men have been arrested.  One is a current employee of the Walmart store, another is a former employee.

From an article:

Police have charged three Red Springs men, 22-year-old Demontra Yates of 105 Milpass St., 17-year-old Jeremy Locklear of 121 Barton Road and 19-year-old Montague Aaron McMillian with robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit a robbery with a dangerous weapon. Police did not list an address for McMillian. 

The robbery occurred on Dec. 22 at about 9:45 p.m., according to Police Chief Ronnie Patterson. 

“Someone dressed all in black ran into the store with a handgun and pointed the weapon at the clerk,” Patterson said. “The robber demanded the store’s money bag and quickly left.” 

There were no customers in the 11,000-square-foot store at the time of the robbery and no one was injured. 

Patterson said investigators determined that because the Walmart was closed at the time that someone working inside the store had to let the gunman in. The gunman also appeared to know that employees were about to deposit the day’s receipts at the bank, the chief said. 

“All indications were that it was an inside job,” Patterson said. 

Patterson would not say how much money was taken. 

Police arrested Locklear, who was working at the store, and Yates, a former Walmart employee. 

McMillian is accused of entering the store with the gun. He turned himself into police on Saturday.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Gunmen kidnap and rob woman and child in Missouri Walmart parking lot

Occurred December 6, 2013.

Scene of kidnapping at Warrensburg Walmart (source)

Two men abducted a woman and her 7-year old child, in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Warrensburg, Missouri.  They forced the woman to drive to an ATM, robbed her, threatened to rape her, threatened to kill her and her child, then dumped them on a deserted road in the cold.

Two suspects have been arrested:  23-year-old Alan E. Briscoe and 21-year-old Kevin A. Ratte.

From an article:

Two men approached the family, one with a gun, and forced the 27-year-old mother to drive them to an ATM with her child in tow. After getting their money, they ordered the woman out of the driver's seat. 

Charges claim 23-year-old Alan E. Briscoe put the woman in the passenger seat up front with him, and gave his 21-year-old accomplice, Kevin A. Ratte, the gun which Ratte kept pointed at the 7-year-old boy in the back seat of the woman's Grand Am. 

The accused kidnappers then took the mother and child down a country road. 

Police say along the way they threatened to rape the woman, then threatened to kill both her and her son. They eventually took the mother and child to a dead end and forced them to lie face down in a field, before driving off in her car. 

Charging documents say both men admitted to their involvement. They each face seven felony charges that include kidnapping, child kidnapping, first-degree robbery, stealing a motor vehicle and sexual misconduct.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Man steals realistic BB gun from Louisiana Walmart, tries carjacking, robs store, and shot dead by police

Occurred December 28, 2013.


A 22-year old man, Joseph Glenn, stole a realistic-looking BB gun from a Walmart store in Ruston, Louisiana.  He then tried to use the gun to carjack or kidnap a woman in the Walmart parking lot.

Later, he used the gun in a robbery of a gas station.  When police showed up at his hotel room, Glenn brandished the gun and was shot by police.  He later died from his wounds.  It was only after this point that police realized the gun was a BB gun.

From an article:

Around midnight, Ruston Police responded to an armed robbery at a gas station on Louisiana Highway 33 in Ruston. Later, officers were called to an aggravated kidnapping at Walmart. A description of the subject, and evidence from both scenes, led police to identify Joseph Glenn, 22, of Grambling as the suspect in both crimes. ....

Surveillance footage from the Walmart in Ruston shows the suspect stealing the BB pistol from the store. According to sources close to the investigation, this was just before the suspect attempted to steal a car from the Walmart parking lot with a woman inside. 

The suspect was identified as Joseph Glenn of Grambling, and was located early Sunday morning at the Hampton Inn in Ruston. That's where he drew his weapon, and was shot by Ruston Police officers. 

Glenn was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There is no reason for BB guns to look realistic, and no reason for Walmart to sell them.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.