Man shot in the abdomen during fight at Kentucky Walmart

Occurred December 8, 2014.

Scene of shooting at Manchester Walmart (source)

Two men, Michael Edwards (picture HERE) and Richard Lawson, got into an argument and fight over a property matter in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Manchester, Kentucky.  Edwards assaulted Lawson, left the scene, then returned with a handgun, shooting Lawson twice in the abdomen.

Edwards fled, but was soon captured by police after trying to ditch one of the three guns in his possession.

Lawson went into surgery, considered critically injured, but is recovering.

From an article and news video:

"I'm at Wal-Mart, two men are fighting in the parking lot,” a caller tells the Manchester 911 dispatcher.

Police say one of them, Michael Edwards, assaulted Richard Lawson then left the area.
“After the first altercation a number of people came to help Mr. Lawson. Michael Edwards then returned with a handgun, people began to scatter,” said Manchester Assistant Chief Patrick Robinson.

Callers to the 911 center then noticed the shooting and called for help.

"We have gentlemen fighting in the parking lot. He has a pistol on him,” said another caller.

“I've got the police on the way,” replied the dispatcher.

“He's in the center of the parking lot.He's got a weapon let them know,” said the caller.
Police say both men were arguing over a property matter.

"Where one claims he owns the property, the other claims he owns it,” said Robinson.
Police say they were to settle the dispute in court Monday yet they met outside Wal-Mart instead.

"Michale Edwards shot Richard Lawson twice in the abdomen,” said Robinson.

Edwards was spotted and he tried to throw one of three guns out of his car window. He was taken to jail and charged with assault. Lawson was airlifted to UK.

“He was to undergo surgery to remove one of the bullets,” said Robinson.

Police say Edwards will face attempted murder and wanton endangerment charges as well.

According to an article, the fight was over a multi-year land dispute.

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Two men steal rifles in Christmas tree box at Kentucky Walmart store

Occurred October 11, 2014.


Two men entered a Walmart store in Frankfort, Kentucky, removed an artificial Christmas tree from its box, then hid three muzzleloader rifles in the box.  They then brazenly paid for what the clerk thought was the tree, then they walked out with it, despite an alarm going off and having to show a receipt.

From an article:

Surveillance video allegedly shows the two remove an artificial Christmas tree from its box and then fill the box with three muzzleloader rifles that they took from a security case, Warfel said.

The two then separated and one of the men allegedly used a U-Scan station to pay $25 in cash for the tree.

Warfel said the store’s security alarm sounded as he left the store but he showed an employee the receipt for the Christmas tree in his cart and was allowed to leave.

The other man left the store a few minutes later.

The total value for the stolen guns is about $670.

HERE is surveillance video.

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Man with gun robs victim in Kentucky Walmart parking lot

Occurred November 26, 2013.


38-year old Sean Rosser, armed with a gun, threatened and robbed a victim in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Louisville, Kentucky. 

On December 3, Rosser was arrested and admitted to the crime.

From an article:

A Mount Washington man was arrested Monday after admitting his involvement in an armed robbery outside a Louisville store, according to police.

Sean Rosser, 38, told investigators that on November 26, he pointed a handgun at a victim in the parking lot of the Walmart at 7201 Outer Loop with the intention of stealing the victim's property.

Rosser is charged with 1st degree robbery.

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Shoplifter posing as policeman threatens Walmart employees with gun

Occurred September 17, 2013.

Armed shoplifter at Louisville Walmart (source)

A man was stopped by loss prevention employees after he tried to shoplift some merchandise, in a Walmart in Louisville, Kentucky.  The man then showed a fake police badge.  When that failed to let him get away with shoplifting, he then threatened the employees with a handgun, then fled the scene.

From an article:

"He probably didn't think that he would get stopped just because of the badge and the gun," said LMPD Detective John Green. "I think he probably thought, 'I'll be able to come in, I'll look like a policeman and they probably won't question my motives.'" 

But instead, Green says the suspect was stopped at the store exit and asked to show his receipt. 

"The only thing he said was, 'I've got your receipt' when he pointed down at his gun," Green says. "And he kind of tapped it, and at that point, that's when he pulled it out and pointed it at everybody." 

Police say the suspect is a black male who was wearing a shirt and tie. His image appears in surveillance video and in the still photos shown on the right of this story. 

"I think it was air mattresses, several type things like that, and he just went right to the door ... you know, passed up the cashier area and went right to the exit," says Green. 

Green also got a good description of the man's badge. "It resembled a star. If you've ever seen like a deputy sheriff's badge, it was similar to that. It wasn't like ours, which is more oval."

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Disgraced Kentucky constable who shot suspected shoplifter in Walmart parking lot takes plea deal

Scene of shooting at Louisville Walmart

(UPDATED -- See below)

On November 2 of 2011, an off-duty Jefferson County Constable, David Whitlock, was at a Louisville, Kentucky Walmart when, according to him, Walmart security asked for his help in apprehend a suspected shoplifter.  

Whitlock tried to apprehend the woman, Tammy Ortiz, in the parking lot.  The woman tried to drive away, apparently running over Whitlock's foot, when he opened fire on her with his firearm, striking her in the arm and face.

HERE is video of the shooting, from Walmart parking lot security cameras.

Constable David Whitlock

Ortiz was never charged.

Whitlock, already in hot water for having stolen goods, was charged for the shooting and has accepted a plea deal that includes resignation from his position.

Whitlock also sued the city and the police department for defamation.

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UPDATE (6/23/13):  According to an article, Whitlock is leaving law enforcement, but may be trying to open his own security business.

UPDATE (3/4/14):  Defying belief, this disgraced shooter has now decided to run for a political position, on Metro Council, having apparently finished his probation.

Man shoots woman to death at Louisville Walmart

Crime scene at Louisville Walmart

Occurred November 10, 2012.

In an apparent domestic dispute, a 46-year old woman, Michelle Hahn, came out of a Walmart in Louisville, Kentucky, and was putting groceries her car in the parking lot when a 44-year old male, Charles R. Fickentsher, shot her to death.  He then fled the scene, but was found shortly after at a nearby park with a fatal, self-inflicted wound.  

Fickentsher had a history of domestic violence.

From an article:

Jefferson County coroner Jack Arnold says 46-year-old Michelle Hahn was shot just after noon Saturday in the parking lot of the Walmart on Standiford Plaza Dr. in Hillview. Investigators say Hahn was getting into her car when she was gunned down.

"It appears that she had been in the Walmart and came out, possibly was putting some belongings in the vehicle. She was outside the vehicle at the time that she was shot," said LMPD spokesperson Carey Klain.

The killer fled the scene, but investigators tracked the suspect's car to McNeely Lake Park, some three miles from the crime scene. Inside, police found the suspected gunman dead. He had apparently shot himself.

The coroner has identified the suspect as 44-year-old Charles Fickentsher, of Okalona.
"It appears that this was a domestic situation, from the information that we are gathering.The individual did flee the scene, and we do have information that he is deceased, apparently a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It's very unfortunate," said Klain.

According to the coroner, Fickentsher and Hahn had been in a brief three-month-long relationship. He says Hahn had ended their relationship about three weeks ago, and that Fickentsher had possibly been stalking her since then.

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Elderly shoplifter in Kentucky Walmart exchanges gunfire with police and is injured

Scene of shooting at Stanford Walmart

Occurred August 20, 2012.

In Stanford, Kentucky, a 71-year old man, Jackie Murphy, was caught shoplifting sandpaper and chased out of the Walmart, then exchanged gunfire with police outside.  Murphy was hit four times.

From an article:

The incident happened at about 2 p.m. Officials at the scene say the incident began with a shoplifting. A man was chased out of the store by an employee. Witnesses say the suspect then pulled out a gun and traded gunfire with a police officer, and that the suspect was hit four times. 

The witnesses say up a total of 15 shots may have been fired in the exchange. 

The police officer was not hit. The suspect was flown to UK Hospital, where his condition is unknown.

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