Judge orders Walmart to let NYC church challenge gun sales

November 2014.

(UPDATED -- See below)

Walmart doesn't like to advertise that they sell semi-auto assault rifles -- lethal weapons designed for only one purpose: to kill large numbers of humans as quickly as possible.

They don't even want to advertise it to their stockholders.  In fact, they have resisted calls to bring the issue to a vote at stockholder meetings.

Now a federal judge has ruled that they have to bring up the issue at their next stockholder meeting.  This was brought up last April by a New York church which is also a major stockholder of the company.

Perhaps many stockholders are unaware that Walmart currently sells five different models of assault rifles?

Or that assault rifles have been stolen, sometimes in large numbers, from Walmart stores, or used in crimes at their stores?  See HERE for plenty of examples.  There was a report this week, in fact, of an AR-15 rifle stolen right out of the display case, which a man stuffed into his clothes and walked out of the store with, unhindered.  HERE's a case from this year where nine assault rifles were stolen.  HERE's another from this year where six were stolen.

Over 122,000 people have signed a petition urging Walmart to stop sales of assault rifles.

Walmart already bans a lot of different products it considers "harmful," including CDs, books, the morning after pill, and even a pregnant Barbie doll.  So why then does it continue to sell weapons designed to kill people?

From an article:

U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Wilmington, Delaware on Wednesday said the world's largest retailer wrongly excluded such a proposal from Trinity Church, a historic Wall Street church, from its June 6 annual meeting.

Stark also granted Trinity an injunction preventing Wal-Mart from excluding the proposal from proxy materials for its 2015 annual meeting, saying a vote would serve the public interest.

The proposal would require the governance committee of Wal-Mart's board to more closely examine the sale of products that might endanger public safety, hurt Wal-Mart's reputation, or offend "family and community values" integral to the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company's brand.

Trinity said these products might include guns with clips holding more than 10 rounds, a type it said "enabled" mass killings in Newtown, Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado; or music that depicts sex or violence. It said Wal-Mart already limits sales of such music.

The April 1 lawsuit was filed two weeks after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a "no action" letter signaling it would not punish Wal-Mart for excluding the proposal.

Stark said that while it was too late to do anything about the 2014 annual meeting, the SEC letter did not end the matter. He went on to reject Wal-Mart's argument that Trinity's proposal was too vague, potentially covering a broad swath of products. 

"The proposal does not dictate any particular outcome or micro-manage Wal-Mart's day-to-day business," Stark wrote. 

Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove said the retailer may appeal the decision.

UPDATE (12/9/14):  Read a statement from the plaintiff, Trinity Church, HERE.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

TV shoplifters threaten Walmart employee with gun in Indiana

Occurred November 27, 2014.


Two men were seen stealing a TV from a Walmart store in Indianapolis, Indiana.  When a door greeter confronted the men, they pulled a gun on him and threatened him with it before fleeing.

From an article:

According to police, two men skipped the cash register and walked out with an $800 television. When confronted by the Wal-Mart greeters, one of the suspects pulled out a gun. The two men then made a dash to a dark-colored SUV.

Wal-Mart released photos of the suspects.

Many shoppers had no knowledge of the armed robbery inside the store as they did their last minute Thanksgiving day shopping.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

AR-15 assault rifle and ammo stolen from North Carolina Walmart

Occurred November 25, 2014.


A man walked into a Walmart store in Asheville, North Carolina, broke into a display case, and stole an AR-15 assault rifle and 150 rounds of ammo, stuffed it in his clothing, and calmly walked out with them.

From an article:

City police are asking for help finding a suspect who stole an assault-style rifle and 150 rounds of ammunition from Walmart on Airport Road.

The thief broke into a locked gun cabinet in the sporting goods section of the store about 10 p.m. Tuesday, Asheville police Sgt. Dave Romick said.

Video surveillance shows the man stealing an AR-15 rifle, then "stuffing the rifle down his pants and exiting the store," Romick said.

The suspect is described as white and 30-35 years old. He is believed to be 5-feet-8 to 5-feet-10 and 150 pounds with short brown hair. He was wearing a white and blue baseball cap, white T-shirt, blue jeans and a black jacket. The suspect may be traveling in a white, newer model, four-door sedan.

The rifle and ammo were valued at $920, according to a police report.

An additional news article and video.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Police open fire on Walmart shoplifter who dragged officer with truck in New York

Occurred November 22, 2014.

Scene of officer-involved shooting at Amherst Walmart (source)

Ronald Kerling, 33, was caught shoplifting in a Walmart store in Amherst, New York.

Police showed up and confronted Kerling, with an officer attempting to catch Kerling in the man's pick-up truck, when Kerling drove off, dragging the officer along.  The officer's partner then opened fire on Kerling.

The first officer managed to extract himself, and Kerling fled.  He was later arrested at his home.

Kerling was not hit by gunfire.  The first officer was injured, as was another responding officer when he was hit by another patrol car.

From an article:

The suspect was able to get into the pick-up truck and drive off, while the officer was holding onto his steering wheel. The pick-up dragged him some distance, police say.

The other officer, fearing that his partner's life was in danger, started firing at the vehicle.

The officer being dragged by the pick-up managed to disentangle himself and the suspect sped off.

While all this was going on, another Amherst police officer on foot was hit by a patrol car arriving at the scene to assist in the arrest. He was seriously injured.

Later in the night, acting on tips they received from the public, police arrested the suspect. Ronald Kerling, 33, of Buffalo, has an extensive criminal history, police say, and he was on parole for a felony conviction in another jurisdiction when he allegedly tried robbing the Walmart.

Both the officer who was dragged by the truck and Officer Corey Brown, who was struck by the patrol car, were taken to Erie County Medical Center. Brown's condition is unknown at this time, but his injuries are serious. The other officer was treated and released. Brown was off-duty at the time of the robbery but answered the call anyway.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Shoplifters threaten Walmart store employees with gun in Oklahoma

Occurred November 19, 2014.

Scene of armed shoplifting at Tulsa Walmart (screenshot source)

Two suspects were seen shoplifting in a Tulsa, Oklahoma, Walmart.  When store employees confronted the men, one of the suspects threatened them with a handgun.  The suspects then fled in a getaway vehicle driven by a third person.  The car was later recovered and had been reported stolen two months before.

No shots were fired.

From an article:

The suspects were approached by employees who suspect the couple was shoplifting.
Police say that's when the man pulled back his jacket and flashed a gun.

A third person picked the suspects up in a Chevy Avalanche and headed north on Memorial.

Police say that car was reported stolen in Tulsa about two months ago.

Previous gun crimes in the last two years at Tulsa Walmart stores include a drug deal earlier this year where three people were shot and a robbery in 2013.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Shots illegally fired by conceal carry permit holder during fight at Pennsylvania Walmart

Occurred November 16, 2014.


Two men, Joseff Baskerville, 23, and another man known as T.B. got into a fight in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  That's when Baskerville pulled out a Glock handgun and fired into the air.  T.B. fled, and Baskerville was arrested.

From an article:

Police responded to a report of two males shooting at each other in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter in the Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace on Highland Park Boulevard and detained two men near the Cracker Barrel restaurant.

One male, identified as Joseff Baskerville, 23, of Wilkes-Barre, reported that a male known to him only as T.B. had struck him in the head with his fist, police said.

Baskerville at that time drew his weapon, a Glock 27 .40-caliber pistol, and fired rounds into the air as a warning; the unknown male fled the area, police said.

Police recovered the weapon from Baskerville and determined that he possessed a valid concealed weapons permit issued through the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Department. ...

Police determined that Rivers had an outstanding arrest warrant from the state of New Jersey. He was taken into custody, charged as a fugitive from justice and was arraigned before District Judge Martin Kane, and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $25,000 bail.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Man threatens Walmart workers with gun in Canadian Walmart

Occurred November 5, 2014.


31-year-old Brian Robert Blais was involved in a car crash near a Walmart store in Calgary, in Alberta, Canada.  Blais then fled the vehicle, entered the Walmart store, then exited again through an alarmed door.  When he was confronted by Walmart employees, Blais pulled a handgun and threatened them with it before fleeing.

The car he crashed had been reported stolen.

From an article:

On the afternoon of November 5, a collision occurred at the intersection of 130 Ave. and 48 St. S.E. The lone occupant of one of the vehicles, removed two bags from the vehicle, and fled the crash scene on foot.

The male suspect entered a nearby Walmart location and attempted to leave the building through an alarmed exit. An alarm sounded and three of the store’s employees confronted the man.

According to police, the suspect pulled what appeared to be a handgun out of one of the bag’s and pointed it at the Walmart staff members and a witness. The man left the building on foot.

Police have determined the vacated vehicle had been stolen.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 31-year-old Brian Robert Blais of Calgary.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.