Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Are Serial Killers Cult Members? Or MK-ULTRA Test Subjects?



There have been numerous theories over the years about the CIA intentionally conspiring to create serial killers, often attributing famous examples like Charles Manson, Berkowitz, Dahmer, Gacy, Bundy and many others to a CIA conspiracy, possibly related to MK-ULTRA, or in other cases to cults, often with connections to people in high places, helping them get away with it, at least for a while. In most cases these theories come from sources with major credibility problems that few people would take seriously.

This may have begun to change with "Programmed to Kill" by David McGowan 2004 although he may not have done as good a job implicating the CIA for many cases, and, ironically he may have ignored some of the strongest evidence and misrepresented other beliefs. However, despite this books flaws, a large portion of his claims can be confirmed through independent sources. Furthermore, at least when it came to his claims that cults are involved in some of these murders, he provides better evidence, and cites at least a couple other sources, Maury Terry, author of "The Ultimate Evil," and Ed Sanders, author of "The Family," and both these authors had the impression that the CIA or other intelligence agencies were interested in several cases or might even have been involved in them although they could provide conclusive proof of this and didn't know why the CIA would be interested. Furthermore, some additional supporting evidence may have come out since McGowan wrote his book.

McGowan claims the CIA may have intentionally created cults or serial killers in order to justify draconian policies suppressing civil rights and to control the masses. The way the government responded to crime problems is a matter of public record, regardless of whether this theory is partly true; and, at times, the government has used crime as an excuse to clamp down on civil rights. However, they've been far more likely to use the War on Drugs as an excuse to militarize the police, and conduct no-knock raids by SWAT teams and asset forfeiture or other violations of civil rights. This is often far more common against minorities, especially African Americans.

Like many conspiracy theories, there are a significant number of flaws in McGowan's or other people's claims; however, they often have legitimate points as well; which means that contrary to how many high profile skeptics behave a true rational skeptic might try to sort out the truth from the exaggerations or lies instead of ridiculing the whole thing. Furthermore, when dealing with conspiracy theories like this, it helps to focus as much as possible on hard facts that can be confirmed through reliable sources; and in this case, this includes an enormous amount of credible research from the academic world that shows how to address all the root causes of violence and make it far less likely; yet this research is almost completely ignored by traditional media and the political establishment.

I mentioned the fact that we've had good research to reduce violence from reliable sources in numerous articles including Ten Ways To Reduce Violence, Backed Up By Research and Withholding solutions for mass shootings & all murders continues! These articles explain how there's good research about all leading causes of violence, including how early child abuse leads to more violence later in life, how abandoned inner cities cause much more violence, and many other contributing causes, and shows that if our political establishment based their decisions on good research they could have cut crime much more than they have, possibly leading to a reduction or murder rates and other crimes by 80% or more than they are right now, like many European countries that already address the root causes of violence.

We also have evidence showing that presidential administrations and the rest of the political establishment have reduced focus on the root causes of violence and most effective solutions since at least the Nixon administration. Both "The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV" by Robert Caro and Rise of the Warrior Cop" by Readley Balko report on how the Kennedy administration had good academic researchers that were trying to base their policy decisions on the best research available at that time; domestically, to some degree, the Johnson administration continued this, before the Nixon administration began their "tough on crime" policies that ignored the root causes and best research.

I don't remember the news media coverage of leading causes of violence ever being very good; but if anything, it's gotten worse with the consolidation of the media, which is now controlled by a fraction of one percent of the public, which is clearly far more concerned with maximizing profit for themselves than serving the public good. Research on preventing violence is much easier to find in libraries, and some books cite examples where they did get some media coverage, including some appearances in talk shows like Phil Donahue as early as the seventies, and Murray Straus wrote about how one of his books was abandoned as a result of mergers and he had to threaten to sue to get his own copyrights back so he could publish elsewhere, when there was little or no promotion for it. While he was alive he posted most of his work, including three books online for free, but after he passed away UNH took it down and now oligarchs are trying to charge outrageous amounts of money for educational material that can reduce violence. This is just a small fraction of the examples where oligarchs are more concerned with increasing profits than educating the public, even when this means withholding educational material that can save many lives. More recently a few authors wrote about their media appearances, but I have rarely ever seen them, except for the citations they mention while incompetent propaganda that is counterproductive is much much more common.

I went into this much more in past articles, so I won't go into it much more here; except to say that many of the academic sources are much more credible and reliable than promoters of conspiracy theories, so this can be confirmed with public information, assuming people are willing to look at the research, which, unfortunately, most people aren't. Even if you're not familiar with the best research on preventing violence, a quick look at the Wikipedia: List of countries by intentional homicide rate shows that the United States has the highest murder rate among wealthy countries, and clearly there ahs to be a reason why, which is apparent to those who have checked on good research for causes of violence and the policies from these countries. The United States has the seventy fourth highest murder rate out of one hundred and ninety-five countries, and all the countries with higher homicide rates are poorer and have even more dysfunctional governments. Furthermore, about sixty percent of the countries with higher murder rates are in the America's, what is often referred to as America's Backyard, these are almost all countries that
America intervened in, often to overthrow popular governments that were much less violent than the ones they installed. Several of the other countries, outside of the Americas, with murder rates higher than the United States, are also countries that our government intervened in as well, including Iraq Afghanistan, the Philippines, Yemen, where we're providing the arms to bomb them to Saudi Arabia, and many more, which means that our foreign policy is a major contributing cause to their violence problems, which is far worse that creating a smaller number of serial killers, assuming they did that.

This means, based on good academic research, we can conclude that even if these theories don't hold up, the fall back explanation is that we're ignoring research that could cut our rates of violence by at least fifty to sixty percent, if not ninety percent in the longer run, which would save hundreds, if not over a thousand lives in the United States, and perhaps thousands more lives in Latin America, if we based political decisions on good science, which is far more that all serial killers combined, but most of these theories don't cover all of them. Serial killers have much more shock value, and if a small portion was inspired by MK-ULTRA that would be even more shocking, but the incredible volume of less dramatic murders is far worse.

Murray Straus pointed out that some good research went as far back as 1942 when he wrote the following in "The Primordial Violence":
Societal case studies. Seventy years ago, the anthropologist Ashley Montague argued that, "Spanking the baby may be the psychological seed of war" (Montague, 1941). He later invited eight anthropologists who had studied one of the relatively few nonviolent societies to contribute chapters to a book called Learning Non-Aggression: The Experience of Non-Literate Societies (Montague, 1978). Although those eight societies differed tremendously, one thing they had in common was nonviolent child rearing (i.e., spanking or smacking children was not part of their culturally prescribed method of child rearing).

Montague did not argue that non-spanking alone will produce a nonviolent society. On the contrary, the eight societies described in his book show that a great deal more is required, especially a high level of attention to a child's needs and safety, and positive rather than punitive modes of dealing with misbehavior. If spanking is a risk factor for societal violence, it is only one of many risk and protective factors.

This is just a small sample of the academic research over the decades that has shown numerous leading causes of all kinds of violence, but it has gotten very little media coverage, and with the consolidation of the media in the control of six corporations, all far more concerned with increasing profits than educating the public it has only gotten worse. According to Wikipedia: Ashley Montagu "he was 'Forced out of his Rutgers position after the McCarthy hearings.'" He was able to get some attention from the media, but not nearly as much as academics that adopt the fiscal ideology of the wealthy, whether it's related to preventing violence or not. This continues to this day, and sine economic inequality, which benefits the wealthy, is a major contributing cause of violence, it get's little or no coverage in traditional media. The same goes with child rearing tactics designed to control the working class instead of teaching them critical thinking skills, since the wealthy wants to keep them in their place. Evidence to prove this and much more doesn't rely on fringe conspiracy theories, but it's almost completely absent from mainstream media.

Even though I'm sure that a large portion of what many conspiracy theorists, including David McGowan, believe may not hold up, while other portions will; but many skeptics will dismiss even the portion that does hold up to scrutiny. Even if these skeptics are right, there would be no doubt that withholding educational material that could teach how to reduce levels of violence much more, like many European countries that have, including murder rates by eighty to ninety percent lower than ours, or our foriegn policy in Central or Southern America does far more to increase violence than intentionally creating a few serial killers or other MK-ULTRA projects, although this seems much more shocking. The problem is that few people will do the research to confirm this and the media refuses to cover it, making it easier to ridicule, even though there are hard facts to support this claim, which isn't a conspiracy theory, since it's based on good research that isn't secret.

David McGowan raises some major doubts about whether many serial killers, including Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck, David Berkowitz, and more, could have killed all their victims and gotten away with it. in at least three cases the convicted serial killers, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and David Berkowitz claimed they didn't act alone. When it comes to his claims that some of these serial killers, especially David Berkowitz and Charles Manson, who is actually classified as a mass murderer or spree killer, not a serial killer, are cult members not lone killers, both Ed Sanders, author of "The Family" and Maury Terry author of "The Ultimate Evil" do a much better job. David McGowan also claims that some of them at least, are a result of MK-ULTRA, however, he provides little evidence to support this conclusion instead writing:
Detailing all the techniques and procedures that have received attention from the Central Intelligence Agency and its brethren is, unfortunately, well beyond the scope of this book.2 It is possible, however, to provide a rough sketch of what mind control really is—a sketch that will, it is hoped, help to demystify a phenomenon that is not, as it turns out, nearly so esoteric as it may at first appear to be.

2 All of the following books focus directly or indirectly on CIA-sponsored mind control research: Jose M.R. Delgado Physical Control of the Mind (Harper and Row, 1969); Donald Bain The Control of Candy Jones (Playboy Press, 1976); Walter Bowart Operation Mind Control (Dell Publishing, 1978); Peter Watson War on the Mind (Hutchinson, 1978); Peter Schrag Mind Control (Pantheon, 1978); John Marks The Search for the Manchurian Candidate (Times Books, 1979); Martin Lee and Bruce Schlain Acid Dreams (Grove Press, 1985); and Gordon Thomas Journey Into Madness (Bantam, 1989). All of these titles contain pieces of the puzzle, but all contain varying amounts of disinformation as well (as do more recent titles).

His claim that all these books "contain pieces of the puzzle, but all contain varying amounts of disinformation as well (as do more recent titles)," is certainly true; and anyone familiar with research into the CIA probably knows that this is routine for almost all books about it. Only the best researchers avoid potentially false claims, presumably since there's so much false information mixed in with the truth, and then only if they're overly cautious, which inevitably means they may avoid some of the most controversial aspects, since it's difficult if not impossible of being certain of everything, even when there's overwhelming evidence of a major unsolved mystery.

But, of course, there's little or no doubt that David McGowan himself follows this pattern. If he wanted to present his theory that the CIA was intentionally creating serial killers, or cults made to look like serial killers, then he certainly should have provided at least a few citations about how this came about from these books and tied it to serial killers. In a few cases some other sources may have done this, especially when it comes to several possible "Manchurian Candidates" or patsies, the most convincing who might be Sirhan Sirhan. Perhaps one of the most compelling cases raising doubts about the official explanation of the RFK assassination came from William Turner and Jon Christian authors of "The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy" which was written long before David McGowan's book and showed that Sirhan Sirhan couldn't have killed Kennedy, since he was shot from behind and Sirhan was always in front of him, nor could he have been a lone shooter, since there were way too many bullets for his gun.



Lisa Pease followed this up with another book, "A Lie To Big To Fail," adding to the evidence clearing Sirhan Sirhan and raising the possibility that they may have created other Manchurian Candidates that assasinated John Lennon and Allard Lowenstein, although she provides limited details on these two, but there are a couple other books going into more detail on the Lennon killing. These were all alleged Manchurian candidates, not serial killers though. I'm not aware of other solid evidence showing they intentionally created serial killers, but there is credible evidence showing they may have unintentionally created several other murderers, including a couple serial killers as I went into previously in Anti-violence social experiments could be part of a slippery slope, which covers MK-ULTRA and shows credible claims that John Stanley Faulder, Whitey Bulger and Ted Kaczynski were all experimented on under this program. The strongest evidence of a serial killer resulting from MK-ULTRA that I know of would be Bulger and Kaczynski, yet McGowan doesn't mention them. According to a more recent article, Inside the Archive of an LSD Researcher With Ties to the CIA’s MKUltra Mind Control Project, 11/24/2019 Jimmy Shaver, an airman, was also an MK-ULTRA subject. This article and the book it's excerpted from by Tom O’Neill came out after McGowan's book, but it provides credible research about the possibility that the Manson cult was being studied by the CIA as part of a project that might be related to MK-ULTRA, although it went by a different name.

At least two of the books McGowan cites, John Marks "The Search for the Manchurian Candidate" 1979 and Gordon Thomas "Journey Into Madness" 1989, provide limited credible evidence of of successful efforts and mind control and often imply that despite their efforts the CIA was grossly incompetent at this effort, although Marks does cite one example where an experiment allegedly successfully convinces a secretary to fire an unloaded gun, which she was led to believe was loaded at another person potentially killing her if it had been loaded and they both indicate that many more records were destroyed which could potentially include other more successful efforts at mind control. The more credible stories about at least four other murderers, including Bulger and Kaczynski, who were serial killers, is compatible with this research since there's little evidence to indicate the CIA intended to turn them into killers, but that it happened after they stopped tracking them.

Nevertheless, some of David McGowan's concerns are legitimate and may be good enough to show that others were involved in several of the serial killings, and even if they're not intentionally inspired by a CIA MK-ULTRA conspiracy there's a possibility that powerful people were still involved in some of them, and either this involved possible cover-ups or incompetence from numerous police departments that may have been more concerned with closing the case and getting credit that finding out the truth. At one point McGowan writes about this exchange, Where Ted Bundy allegedly claims he didn't act alone on tape:
Police Interrogator: Where’d you get the money [that you used after your escape to travel across the country] from?
Ted: “Well, man, there’s other people. Other people are in on it.”

For many of these serial killers, including Bundy, who allegedly killed at least thirty people, there's major doubts about how they could have gotten away with killing so many people before getting caught. However, there's even more questions about how he could have escaped twice before going to Florida, as indicated in this exchanged and pointed out in more detail in McGowan's book.

Additional evidence to support McGowan's doubts about John Wayne Gacy also emerged since his book was published as reported in Attorneys Believe Gacy Had Accomplices 02/10/2012 which says:
Gacy was in Pittsburgh during the period in September 1977 when victim Robert Gilroy, 18, of Chicago disappeared, the Sun-Times reported. And when John Mowery, 19 of Chicago disappeared later in September 1977, Gacy was at a job in Michigan, the attorneys told the Sun-Times. ..... The attorneys are also examining Gacy’s own questions to police when he was arrested. Among those questions were – “Who else do you have in the station? There are others involved,” and he said his “associates” were involved “directly,” the Sun-Times reported.

Both John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy had ties to politicians in both parties, and there's major doubts about why they were able to get away with murders for so long when they could have been caught much earlier. Even if the investigators didn't have solid evidence against them, is it possible they didn't look as close as they should have because of their political ties? This would fit a pattern of behavior for many people with political connections.

A convicted murder that committed murder approximately the same time McGowan't book went to press, Rhonda Glover, made a statement supporting his theory, although she may not be the most credible source, as reported in Fatal Beauty 2011
Rhonda called Joste twice while Officer Moore was at the Mission Oaks home. ... Officer Bubank dutifully searched the attic and any other part of the house where Rhonda Glover feared Jimmy Joste had stuffed the dead body of their son. “She also told me that Joste was not only a murderer, but worked for the CIA, and was connected to John Wayne Gacy and the John Lennon murder.”

Obviously this shouldn't be considered hard evidence without additional corroborating evidence from more reliable sources; however, since it adds to other evidence supporting McGowan's theory, adequate or not, it would also be inappropriate to completely rule out his theory without additional evidence as well.

Maury Terry author of "The Ultimate Evil" (1987), who was cited by McGowan, does a far better job raising doubts about whether or not David Berkowitz acted alone and tying the "Son of Sam" killings to a cult which began killing before the "Summer of Sam" and kept on killing years after David Berkowitz was arrested in 1977. He opens by describing the killing of Arlis Perry, who was killed in California before Berkowitz began his killing spree, far away from where he was at the time, yet he knew some of the details long before the case was allegedly solved. He also cited evidence showing that it's virtually guaranteed that Berkowitz didn't act alone, which Berkowitz agreed with in many cases, and that Berkowitz actually left the scene of the last murder before it happened.

His case is supported by many witnesses, some more credible than others, of course, including police officers, other reporters, and lawyers, as well as many potential cult members or criminals that communicated with either Berkowitz or other alleged cult members. Whenever possible he provided supporting evidence, especially when the claims came from cult members or criminals that may not be considered credible. To find out which sources and claims seem most credible, you'll have to read the book or trust someone else. He claims there was a person he nicknamed Charles Manson II who he never conclusively identified, and allegedly was involved in the "Son of Sam" killings as well as the Arlis Perry killings. He also makes a strong case that the two sons of Sam Carr, John and Michael, were both members of the cult and both died under mysterious circumstances. John Carr allegedly committed suicide, according to the police, but the evidence doesn't support this claim and it happened after investigators began looking for him, and he clearly could have exposed accomplices if he had lived and been captured. Another two alleged members of the cult were supposedly police officers, including one that was murdered, under suspicious circumstances, possibly to prevent him from talking as well.

Terry also makes an argument that seems compelling to many that Roy Radin, a wealthy show business promoter may have held parties that were attended by many cult members and filmed sadomasochist sex at his mansion, which was in the New York area. Some versions of this theory also include the belief that the cult was filming their murders, and in the last case changed their target because the original choice wasn't in the light for the film to catch. Other theories indicate that some of the targets were picked because they knew something about the cult. Whether this was true or not Roy Radin was killed in May 1983 in California. William Mentzer and Karen Greenberger were eventually convicted of his murder. Robert Evans an American film producer, studio executive, and actor, best known for his work on Rosemary's Baby, Love Story, The Godfather, and Chinatown, may have been implicated in connection to this murder and plead the fifth when asked if he knew Roy Radin. However, Karen Greenberger testified that he wasn't involved when she plead guilty, and the courts accepted this.

Skeptics claimed that when this case was solved, shortly after the first addition of Terry's book, in 1987, and DNA evidence related to the Arlis Perry murder implicated another suspect in 2018, that this proved Terry's theories were wrong; however, Terry's theories were compatible with the claim that William Mentzer killed Roy Radin and he addressed this in the second addition of his book within a year after that was allegedly solved. As for the alleged solving of the Arlis Perry murder when DNA evidence implicated Stephen Blake Crawford, this clearly doesn't address all the evidence and actually supports Terry's theory that she was killed by a cult, since the original evidence provided a partial palm print and semen that didn't match either Crawford or Bruce Perry, the other early suspect; which means the new DNA evidence supports the belief expressed by Terry that she was killed by at least two or probably more people. Bruce Perry went on to become a prominent American psychiatrist which is compatible with the theory that many high profile people were involved in cults and advanced because of it; although I'm not aware of evidence implicating him in his wife's murder or conclusively proving he was in the cult. Terry also provides significant evidence to indicate that the cult that caused the "Son or Sam" killings may also be tied to the Manson cult, or at least some of the people that were previously involved in it, although skeptics may not consider this evidence conclusive.

In addition to the evidence provided by McGowan, Terry and Sanders, Tom O’Neill author of “Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties,” and Inside the Archive of an LSD Researcher With Ties to the CIA’s MKUltra Mind Control Project, 11/24/2019 which is an excerpt from that book, provide more evidence that government officials may have enabled Manson and even that he might be tied directly to a mind control experiment, whether you call it Operation Chaos, MK-ULTRA or anything else. He was also allegedly being monitored by either the intelligence community or local police before committing the murders and for a couple months afterwards, until the final big raid in October 1969, and there's little doubt that at a minimum, they had plenty of justifiable reasons long before the murders to arrest Manson and several of his top followers, including Susan Adkins on numerous charges, including parole violation, which doesn't have a high burden of proof. Ed Sanders confirmed a significant portion of the claims made by O'Neill long before O'Neill wrote his book, although O'Neill provides numerous additional details, including the fact that the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic was funded by the CIA and it was used as part of their mind control research.

O'Neill reports on how Manson's probation officer, Roger Smith, helped him get out of trouble on several occasions while still officially responsible for him, then he kept in touch and helped him several other times even though he wasn't still responsible for him. He later worked with the Free clinic which was founded by David Smith (no relation), and there's good reason to believe that both of them might have had ties to the CIA, and that the CIA was funding the clinic. Louis Jolyon West, one of the most notorious contributors to MK-ULTRA or other mind control research, was also working at the clinic, however O'Neill couldn't provide solid evidence directly linking him with Manson. Ed Sanders also reported that Abigail Folger also had ties to the free clinic and raised money for them on several occasions. There has never been any doubt that Manson had ties to Terry Melcher, an American record producer, Dennis Wilson, one of the Beach Boys, and several other celebrities; however, Vincent Bugliosi and other mainstream sources claim that he had little or no ties to any of the victims, except that he had been to the Polanski home when Melcher was there and to a neighbors house of the LaBianca's. But both Ed Sanders and Tom O'Neill reported on numerous other connections or possible connections with both houses.

Both Sanders, O'Neill and at least one or two other authors indicated that there's more evidence that both households were involved in far more drug activity or other crimes than Vincent Bugliosi or other mainstream sources reported on and O'Neill also went so far as to claim that Bugliosi was trying to cover up for Melcher, Polanski and several other celebrities that were involved in crimes, which might include black mail and taking sex tapes of many celebrities. Some of this was also reported earlier by Sanders. Even if some of the more far-fetched theories don't hold up, or people simply refuse to consider them, there's plenty of evidence showing a brazen double standard giving preferential treatment to the rich and powerful.

Both Sanders and O'Neill also speculated about other possible motives for the murders and that they might have been targeted for undisclosed reasons. Is it possible that Manson and the girls were used for research purposes at the clinic and they at least suspected it? Is it possible that they knew that Folger was helping fund the clinic using them for this research?

If the CIA was conducting research on indoctrination could it have been used to indoctrinate troops in some of the foreign countries where they intervened like Latin America, including Guatemala and Nicaragua? We know they supported coups around the world including Guatemala, and trained both those controlling the military in these countries and the Contras that terrorized the Nicaraguans. Numerous books have reported on this and many of them are far more credible than David McGowan's including Aviva Chomsky's recent book "Central America's Forgotten History," which describes the indoctrination tactics used by governments that had their troops trained partly by the CIA in the following excerpt:
Many of the army troops were also Mayans, forced to attack villages similar to their own. Kidnapped or forcibly recruited as teenagers, they were brutalized and indoctrinated with anti-Indigenous racism. "The army kills part of your identity," explained one former recruit. "They want to break you and make you a new man. A savage man. They inspired me to kill."

In village after village, the army organized Civil Defense Patrols (PACs) that quite literally forced villages to attack and destroy themselves . p.94

.....

The Guardia's foot soldiers, like those in the Guatemalan army, were mostly poor campesino youth whose humiliating training indoctrinated them into a culture of cruelty. Their operations were small-scale and local: "centered on vice, quotidian violence, and criminal impunity." p.102

There's good reason to believe that if they were researching indoctrination tactics that they would do just that, as I pointed out in a couple other articles that show they were researching how to teach blind obedience to our own troop, Philip Zimbardo, Lucifer Effect, Stanford Prison Experiment and Eli Roth's Milgram/Obedience experiment much more extensive than most people realize. These articles show that while they were pretending to teach people to challenge authority they were also developing techniques to do the opposite when training our troops and another book by David Philipps, "Lethal Warriors," which started out as a series of newspaper articles, also shows how they encourage racism and bigotry with our own troops just like they do with the troops they force to fight for puppet regimes in Latin America or elsewhere.

There may also be some aspects that were almost certainly beyond the capabilities of the CIA, who became famous as "the gang who couldn't spray straight," when they tried to spray chemicals into parties and they blew out the windows and other absurd blunders during their mind control experiments. Even if they were able to create Manchurian candidates or patsies like Sirhan Sirhan and Dennis Sweeney who killed Allard Lowenstein, it's unlikely that they could have controlled cults as bizarre as the Manson cult or many others, although it's virtually guaranteed that they would have studied them to learn how to improve their own indoctrination tactics.

Furthermore, there may have been some other evidence of more far-fetched abilities which the CIA are even less likely to have been responsible for, and there are similar precedents for some of these bizarre events going back long before the CIA was even created. Many of these cults and a few serial killers not necessarily involved in cults believe they're acting on behalf of "God," "the Devil," or some other supernatural being and that they might be receiving protection from them, although this protection, assuming it ever existed, eventually comes to an end when they get caught.

Richard Ramirez claimed he was protected by the Devil, and he managed to get away with fourteen brazen and brutal murders as well as over a dozen survivors of his attacks. This isn't the highest number of people being killed by serial killers, by far but it's truly stunning that he was able to get away with it for so long, since it was much more brazen than other serial killers with higher death tolls with or without protection from Satan, assuming such a thing is possible. Jim Jones and Marshall Applewhite both convinced their followers to commit suicide claiming they were messengers from God or aliens; Adolfo Constanzo claimed to be guided by Kadiempembe, a West African trickster god, and there are many more that allegedly held Satanic rituals or had other extremely bizarre beliefs, including, of course, Charles Manson. However, beliefs from fanatics wouldn't be considered strong evidence of anything, with the possible exception of mental illness.

In most, if not all cases there's little or no solid evidence that there's anything supernatural about these cult leaders or serial killers; however there might be a couple exceptions, and there may be evidence of other mystics that weren't serial killers and often adamantly opposed violence were involved in unexplained phenomena similar to these alleged claims. An even Vincent Bugliosi admits that they believed it and may have described some evidence of something unexplained as he wrote in Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders 1974/2001 p.191/259 in the following excerpt:
In Independence, Sandra Good had told me once, in the desert, Charlie had picked up a dead bird, breathed on it, and the bird had flown away. Sure, Sandy, sure, I replied. Since then I'd heard a great deal about Manson's alleged "powers"; Susan Atkins, for example, felt he could see and hear everything she did or said.

Midway through the arraignment I looked at my watch. It had stopped. Odd. It was the first time I could remember that happening. Then I noticed that Manson was staring at me, a slight grin on his face.

It was, I told myself, simply a coincidence.

The 1976 movie based on this book goes one step further and shows Manson laughing when Bugliosi looked at him staring and provides dramatic music making it seem ominous, as if Manson did stop the watch. By this time Uri Geller was famous for his alleged ability to bend spoons or stop watches, possibly showing some unexplained activities are possible. Many researchers, including Jacques Vallee found that there were unexplained phenomena surrounding Uri Geller, but he didn't seem to be in complete control of the. Other skeptics, like James Randi, get far more media attention, and claim he's a total fraud, but a closer look indicates they may not be able to explain everything he did.

Skeptics will understandably require more evidence than this, of course; however, whether Manson was able to do these things or not his followers thought he could, and his ability to convince them he could do these things is almost certainly part of the reason he was able to develop such a loyal following in less than two and a half years, which is far quicker than any cult following that I've ever heard of, especially so fanatical a cult. The description of his alleged "powers" go well beyond what Bugliosi describes according to several other accounts, including Ed Sanders book, including an alleged incident similar to an exorcism on a biker that was on drugs. Furthermore, he was able to control people that were much bigger than him, and convince them to let him beat them in many cases.

However, perhaps the strongest evidence that something unexplained happened with the Manson cult that can't be explained by fanatical beliefs is how he got the school bus, which was not made for off road driving, up to the Barker Ranch. Numerous sources, including Vincent Bugliosi express amazement that he could do this since even most four wheel drives can't make it up there and most people were only able to get up there with Dune Buggies, or helicopters, and even some of the Dune Buggies couldn't make it an constantly broke down. Ed Sanders points out that the school bus did break down once it got there, but other vehicles that were supposedly better able to handle off road driving couldn't even do that. In Ed Sanders book he claims that Steve Grogan, one of the least reliable sources, told him Manson levitated it; and in the movie one of the girls told the detectives that Manson "flew it," and they rolled their eyes and dismissed this explanation, but they never came up with another explanation and simply ignored this unsolved mystery.

Another cult leader, Shoko Asahara, later responsible for the Tokyo sarin attack in 1995 could allegedly levitate himself and convinced some supposedly rational people to believe it; according to an excerpt from Aum's Shoko Asahara and the Cult at the End of the World 07/01/1996:
The next man, 30-year-old Kenichi Hirose, had graduated at the top of his class in applied physics from Waseda University in 1987. He turned down a job at a big electronics firm to join the cult, but often returned to the university to question his professor about laser research. The professor was baffled by Hirose's choice. "Floating in the air violates the law of inertia," the professor once said, referring to Asahara's trick of appearing to levitate. "Why would a student of physics believe such an outrageous thing?" Hirose replied: "Because I saw it."

In addition to numerous other cult members that should have been too well educated to fall for such a scam testifying to the same thing, there's a photo of him allegedly levitating. Whether or not there is anything to these alleged mystical experiences there are an enormous number of people that believe there is and they've been taught to blindly follow cult leaders that have these alleged abilities, no matter how fanatical those cult leaders. Of course, with or without these alleged mystical experiences there's also additional evidence of more traditional cult indoctrination tactics, including peer pressure, intimidation and charismatic cult leaders.



In addition to these possible unexplained mysteries, there are also dozens, if not hundreds of people that claim they received messages in their head telling them to kill people, which is typically dismissed as schizophrenia, and is virtually always accompanied by severe abuse as a child which has been proven to teach violence later in life. However, there are some other major unsolved mysteries surrounding many people that were not violent and had certain unexplained abilities, including Uri Geller, and others that may have demonstrated stronger evidence of unexplained phenomena including Padre Pio, Helena Blavatsky, Andrew Jackson Davis, Joseph Smith Jr., Edgar Cayce, Edward Leedskalnin and Joan of Arc. In some of my previous articles about these unexplained mystics I showed how there was something unexplained about them and speculated about the possibility they might be related to UFOs even though there's little direct evidence of this for them, but there may be indirect evidence.

The other articles about mystics all had stronger evidence of something paranormal than this speculation that they may also have influenced serial killers; other articles I've written provide stronger evidence of a connection to aliens; and stronger evidence would be required to make a compelling case. Nevertheless Ancient Aliens did speculate about this possibility in Season 3 Episode 12 Aliens and Deadly Cults 10/12/2011 The evidence they provide isn't much if any more compelling than the evidence provided by David McGowan for some of his theories tying mass murderers or serial killers to MK-ULTRA, although the evidence tying them to cults is more convincing and the CIA has no doubt been studying them.

There may not be enough evidence to show that either the theory that MK-ULTRA or aliens are involved in inspiring serial killers; however there is enough evidence to show that there are many unsolved mysteries that aren't explained by traditional beliefs. There's also enough evidence to show that the government and CIA are keeping secrets about both aliens and their mind control research and methods to use propaganda to manipulate the public. Evidence to prove some of this is already public in books or alternative media outlets, but we need to get this information about how the public is being manipulated to the majority of the public that relies on traditional media and demand full disclosure about secret activities from our government, the CIA, and any other organizations conspiring against the public, including multinational corporations.

Furthermore, even if there is something to some of these theories, traditional research does far more to show the leading causes of violence and how to prevent it than these theories do, so this should be the fall back position which we should focus more on, even if it's less dramatic or has less appeal to emotion, yet they're not even doing that in the mainstream media, although the quality of good research in the academic world and alternative media continues to improve, and there are some people at local levels doing a far better job addressing the root causes of violence. There's no doubt that one of the most important root causes of violence is early child abuse leading to escalating violence later in life, and if you look at the history of all these serial killers this confirms this. There's also no doubt that by abandoning inner cities and not providing adequate educational or economic opportunities our own government is contributing to high rates of violence in those cities, although the majority of mass murderers or serial killers aren't from these abandoned inner cities.

This is almost certainly a major part of the reason why serial killers are far less common than they were in the seventies and eighties. According to Wikipedia: List of serial killers in the United States the number of new serial killers surged in the 1970s peaked in the 1980s and has been dropping sharply since then. (30 started in the 60s; 112 in 70s; 134 in 80s; 61 in 90s; 29 in 2000s; 6 in 2010s) Not only has the total number of serial killers dropped sharply, but almost all the serial killers with the highest death tolls ended decades ago. There are very few serial killers that killed more than ten people that were active after 2000 and only one that killed more than twenty and he was caught in 2006. There's no guarantee that this is a complete record of serial killers; however, even if it's incomplete, there's still good reason to believe that they rose in the seventies and eighties and plummeted after that, since the differences are so large. Part of the reason for the sudden surge in the seventies could be that the records for serial killers simply weren't complete before that; and part of the reason for the dramatic drop after 2000 could be some of the serial killers haven't been caught yet, especially after 2010. However, as I've reported in numerous previous articles, another important part of the reason for the sharp drop in serial killers is the same reason for the sharp drop in all murders over the same time period, the fact that early child abuse, including corporal punishment has been dropping sharply during that same time period.

Furthermore, whether these bizarre theories are right or not, we have evidence showing that the highest controlling authority, with the ability to get messages across to the public, which includes mainstream media, the government, and if there is such a thing as God or aliens or any other unknown advanced intelligence that has been influencing our culture for thousands of years, has been negligent when it comes to teaching the public about how to reduce violence. If there is no unknown advanced intelligence that has been influencing our society then the government and mainstream media has still been withholding education that can save thousands of lives every year. But if there is an advanced intelligence that has been influencing our society for thousands of years, as a significant amount of evidence shows, assuming people are willing to look at this evidence, then they've been withholding education about the most effective solutions to many problems including the reduction of violence for much longer. This means that this unknown advanced advance intelligence, whether you call it God, aliens or anything else, must have an undisclosed motive and shouldn't be trusted completely. we certainly should assume that God or aliens are benevolent.

If there is an advanced intelligence known as "God" it's hard to tell what the most compelling evidence to prove it is, especially to skeptics; or if you want to recognize his true characteristics, possibly to the faithful as well. But one good example that might prove it is Joan of Arc who clearly doesn't fit the typical characteristics of a peasant girl from that time, and she was able to convince people she received messages from God, Saints, or the archangel Michael, whether she did or not. It's extremely hard to believe that any woman of that time, especially a seventeen year old peasant woman could convince large numbers of people to follow he into war and win. There's also strong evidence supporting this story thanks to transcripts from two trials, one before she was burned at the stake, the other to restore her image a couple decades later.

Oddly enough few if any people question whether this would have been an effective way for God to look out for the best interests of his worshipers. Believers don't want to consider this because it might raise doubts about how good the God they worship is; atheists may not question this because they're committed to the belief that God doesn't exist at all. Regardless of why people don't question the behavior of this alleged God, if he was as benevolent as religious people think, don't you think he would have taught the faithful to get along and rule themselves without constant wars, genocide, torture or other atrocities? If God was an advanced intelligence as religious people believe, don't you think he would have access to research as good, if not better than modern academics thousands of years ago? If so, God could have set up a society thousands of years before Joan of Arc was born and there would have been no reason for him to inspire her to fight a cruel war, then abandon her while she was burned at the stake.

Once you consider this, it's clear that if there's an advanced intelligence known as God, he can't possibly be as benevolent or all-powerful as religious people believe. If there were also aliens visiting thousands of years ago, could they have been mistaken for this God? If so some people might be willing to consider that they might have an undisclosed motive and at least try to figure it out without worshiping God or blindly obeying irrational leaders. Even if God has a different nature, assuming he exists, surely he must have another motive, and we should consider it no matter what we call him. And while sorting this out, there's still plenty of good research in the academic world showing how to reduce violence.



The following are some additional sources or related articles:

Led to the noose in diapers: the strange life and death of Shoko Asahara, murderous guru behind Tokyo sarin attack 07/06/2018

Aum's Shoko Asahara and the Cult at the End of the World 07/01/1996

Amazing Levitation of a Cult Leader 08/01/2007

John Wayne Gacy Accomplice? Lawyers Believe Killer Did Not Act Alone 02/10/2012

Did John Wayne Gacy Have Help? 02/11/2012

These Serial Killers Were Into Politics, So, Uh, Research Who You're Voting For 10/31/2018

Ed Sanders’ "The Family" 1971 A 2:2.5 D 28/48? Ted Bundy: “Well, man, there’s other people. Other people are in on it.” Richard Speck Ted Bundy Gary Ridgway Murder of Arlis Perry Roy Radin William Mentzer Robert Evans Adolfo Constanzo Shoko Asahara List of serial killers in the United States List of mass shootings in the United States

Murderpedia: Rhonda Glover

Murderpedia: William Mentzer

Wikipedia: William Bonin

Wikipedia: Kenneth McDuff

Wikipedia: Gary M. Heidnik

Full text of "Serial Killer Myth Psyop Mkultra Monarch Programmed Nwo Illuminati Freemasons"

1988: Philadelphia Serial Killer Gary Heidnik was MKULTRA Subject 2018

Army drugged client, says murder case lawyer Originally reported on 03/26/1988 Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - A lawyer for a man accused of murdering two women and shackling four others in a basement torture chamber says he has obtained files that show his client was the subject of US, army LSD experiments in the 1960s.
A year ago, police found three half-naked women chained to a sewer pipe in the basement of Gary Heidnik's house, after being led there by a woman who said she had escaped.
Limbs of another woman were found in a freezer and a female corpse was discovered in a New Jersey forest.
Defence lawyer Charles Peruto said he plans to argue during the trial, set to begin April 4, that Heidnik was insane and that the hallucinogen LSD had aggravated his schizophrenia. Peruto said that army and Veterans Administration docu- ments show Heidnik was the subject of LSD tests between 1961 and 1963 -although an army spokesman said records did not show such testing.

Was John Lennon's murderer Mark Chapman a CIA hitman? Thirty years on, there's an extraordinary new theory 12/03/2010 In a new book, author Phil Strongman claims that Chapman was a stooge. Lennon’s real assassin was the CIA — at the behest of Right-wing fanatics in the American political establishment. ... How strange, for example, that Chapman should visit Beirut at a time when the Lebanese capital was a hive of CIA activity — and was said to be home to one of the agency’s top-secret assassination training camps. Another camp was supposedly in Hawaii, where Chapman lived for a number of years. ..... ‘In fact, if any of them came from him it was miraculous because Chapman was standing on Lennon’s right and, as the autopsy report and death certificate later made clear, all Lennon’s wounds were in the left side of his body.’ ..... John Lennon — Life, Times And Assassination, by Phil Strongman

John Lennon — Life, Times And Assassination, by Phil Strongman 2010: Millions of us suffered a little death on 8 December 1980. The Beatles had been part of our childhood, our adolescence, our youth, our lives. To almost every young man and woman The lights in the screening room go down and we find ourselves in cosy, womb-like darkness. A switch is clicked behind us and a projector splutters into life; uneven at first, its jerky start soon Martin Bormann, Hitler’s deputy and keeper of the Nazi’s Swiss bank account codes, was saved by the loot factor. Although he was supposed to have died in Berlin in May 1945 as Nazi Germany collapsed, the actual body belonged to an unfortunate lookalike, for Bormann himself had been whisked off to Britain in a joint OSS/MI action (the action’s code name, according to former Royal Navy spy John Ainsworth-Davis, was OPJB). Through Bormann the Allies got most of the Nazi cash out of Switzerland and he was then allowed to flee to Paraguay and a life of luxurt. He died some 14 years later, The 1960 Communist guerrillas known as the Viet Cong started the National Liberation Front. From the start the NLF were clever enough to court the favour of the southern peasantry. Popular priests were … And by then, several thousand …. By the end of 1959 Lennon’s men were known as Johnny & The Moondogs - and this was the name under which they failed the audition to joint the talent stable of

John Lennon — Life, Times And Assassination, by Phil Strongman 2010

Q: WHO KILLED JOHN LENNON? A: THE CIA 12/03/2005

Is Catcher in the Rye an assassination trigger? 01/31/2012

George Estabrooks in Hypnotism read online free https://archive.org/details/hypnosisbygeorgehobenestabrooks1943/page/n13/mode/2up

1963: Hypnotist George Estabrooks admits creating multiple personality assassins 01/18/2015

List of some of the suspicious deaths in the JFK assassination, starting with the most obvious one 03/26/2021

Murderpedia: Dennis Sweeney

Reddit: Did an MK-Ultra Assassin kill Allard K. Lowenstein? 2019 "A Lie Too Big to Fail: The Real History of the Assassination of Robert Kennedy" Lisa Pease 2018 p.253 320 Allard Lowenstein, “The Murder of Robert Kennedy: Suppressed Evidence of More than One Assassin?” Saturday Review, February 19, 1977.

FBI Releases 2020 Crime Statistics 09/27/2021 The estimated number of aggravated assault offenses rose 12.1 percent, and the volume of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offenses increased 29.4 percent. 21,570 homicides 29.4% increase from 2019

New Evidence Implicates CIA, LAPD, FBI and Mafia as Plotters in Elaborate “Hit” Plan to Prevent RFK From Ever Reaching White House 09/01/2021 Yet even after over 50 years, high government officials like Vice President Kamala Harris are still trying to cover up the truth about his murder.

Why were there so many serial killers in the 1980s? 08/31/2018

Did the CIA's notorious mind control program create an infamous killer? 03/02/2020

You are being lied to : the disinformation guide to media distortion, historical whitewashes and cultural mythsby Kick, Russell 2001

Part 25: District Attorney’s investigator David McGowan Family: D.A. Lied To Us 12/04/2007 (Different McGowan)

Sheriff: D.A. investigator David McGowan killed family, then self 05/10/2005 (Different McGowan) McGowan used his duty weapon, a 9-mm Smith and Wesson semiautomatic handgun, to kill his family, Doyle said.

Fact check: Police gave Kyle Rittenhouse water and thanked him before shooting 08/29/2020 Our ruling: True

How Did Ted Bundy Escape From Authorities — Twice? 01/24/2019

Wikipedia: Gilles de Rais

Snowden affair chills U.S.-Latin American ties 07/13/2013 Morales said Washington "still has a mentality of domination and submission" in the region, and he also harangued Kerry for offending the region when, in congressional testimony in April, he said the "Western Hemisphere is our backyard."

Murderpedia: William Mentzer

Missing Mo. Woman Cassidy Rainwater Was Kept in Cage Before Brutal Attack and Dismemberment, Authorities Say 11/18/2021

A Lie Too Big to Fail: The Real History of the Assassination Lisa Pease 2018 In March 1980, Lowenstein himself was shot and killed in his office by a former protégé, Dennis Sweeney, who claimed, among other crazy sounding things, that he had recieved messages in his head broadcast by a CIA transmitter. After Sweeny shot Lowenstein, Sweeny calmly waited in Lowenstein's office to be arrested. He was deemed insane and sentenced to a mental hospital. Like Sirhan before him, Sweeny was deemed to have been a "paranoid schizophrenic with hallucinations and delusions."

Ex-Rep. Lowenstein Fatally Shot By Gunman in N.Y. Law Office 03/15/1980

States prohibiting all corporal punishment of children, including in the home:

Wikipedia: List of countries by intentional homicide rate

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders By Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry 1974/2001 excerpts

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders By Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry 1974/2001 excerpts

9 Killers Who Actually Thought They Were Gods 03/03/2020

'I'm a prophet, not a serial killer' | Winter Haven double murder suspect claims he did it for God 10/15/2019

Serial Killers, Murderers and their Religion / Faith 09/24/2017

Satan-Worshipping Killer Pazuzu Algarad's Crimes Are Examined In 'The Devil You Know' 09/11/2019

Medieval Sourcebook: The Trial of Joan of Arc Joan of Arc trial transcripts





Thursday, November 4, 2021

Walmart Crime Report October 2021



Walmart had at least six more shootings, with two them fatal in October 2021, plus a seventh at a Sam's Club, which is as few as they've had in any month for at least three or four years. One of the fatal shootings was by a police officer, which was considered justifiable since the shoplifting suspect fired at them first, the one at Sam's Club was also by a police officer; however, she's being charged since she allegedly endangered others in a crowded parking lot. There were at least three more injuries resulting from the shootings including at least one that left a person in critical condition, which could result in an additional death. Another shooting in the parking lot, which didn't result in injuries, started as a result of a large fight inside the store.

In addition to the two deaths resulting from shootings there was another murder where a man killed his fiance and staged her body at Walmart, another person killed in a rollover crash, and two deaths from a deadly bacteria sold at Walmart, resulting in a recall, and there may still be other people at risk from this. This brings the total deaths at Walmart or related to their business to at least six.

Walmart had a couple hours long stand-off in one store without firing shots plus about twenty more gun related incidents, which is higher than they've been getting in the past few months, although reporting on these might be inconsistent. Most of these gun related incidents were armed robberies, including one carjacking and a separate kidnapping, a couple of them turned out to be false alarms that resulted in panics anyway. A man who was previously charged for pulling a gun over a pandemic face-mask argument is now suing the police for not deleting social media posts after charges were dropped, claiming they're harming his reputation, although the social posts appear to be true.

Another woman wanted for murder was arrested at Walmart, although the murder didn't occur there; there was an isolated child abduction at one Walmart, which is somewhat common, and another woman that escaped from a human trafficking ring at another Walmart which isn't nearly as common. Over the years there have been dozens of attempted abductions, where the perpetrators were only attempting to abduct one child, but most of the claims of human trafficking at Walmart have been denied by police, although this is the second one in recent months that turned out to be true.

There were also numerous unarmed muggings, a fight over a phone, a woman who allegedly pepper sprayed customers, a viral video of a couple women in a fist fight in the aisle, and a couple major thefts of ten thousand or three hundred thousand dollars. Walmart also let Dog the Bounty Hunter check their video footage in his search for Brian Laundrie, which is amazing, since he was never licensed as a Bounty Hunter, or bail-bondsman and has no right to detain anyone or participate in the investigation any more than any other citizen. This is obvious grandstanding and legitimizing it raises major doubts about Walmart.

A Black former policeman and black Pastor are preparing a suit against Walmart after they tried to return a TV with a legitimate receipt but were arrested based on racial profiling, and another video of their union busting activities has come out showing, once again that they don't treat their workers any better than their customers. Another one of their workers made a viral video while quitting telling everyone how badly he was treated and knocking stuff over at the same time. There's little doubt he'll be charged, but this adds to the evidence that even though he didn't quit over the PA system, these outraged workers quitting are never going to stop getting their point across as long as Walmart refuses to treat them with respect.

Walmart knows damn well that their self-checkouts are a magnet for crime, but instead of hiring cashiers, which is almost certainly cheaper than dealing with the crime, they're looking for new technology to catch people, which amounts to virtual entrapment. There's another video making the rounds where a so-called whistle-blower is telling people to stop stealing and that technology will help catch them; Many may doubt this is a real whistle blower, since he's clearly serving Walmart's agenda, and this isn't the first time they've done this.

In addition to the fatal rollover crash, there were at least nine other major crashes, including at least one hit and run and at least four separate pedestrians hit or run over by cars or trucks, a stolen vehicle that smashed into at least six other cars and almost hit numerous pedestrians, and a cop that was dragged by a shoplifter he tried to stop. There were also at least three other vehicles that caught fire, one that burnt after a crash and another that had the fire spread to several other vehicles. In addition to these three firs they had one more in the store which closed it for several days and was probably arson.



Walmart also had at least six knife attacks, with at least one or two resulting in stabbing wounds, a stolen service dog which was recovered safe, an escapee from prison that was caught at a store, a false tip from a bounty hunter unrelated to Dog the Bounty Hunter, and a shoplifting suspect charged with assaulting three police officers. It's often hard to tell when police are charging people for "assault" if they resist or run away or if they're just padding the charges, which is quite common with many police officers.

In addition to the recall of the fatal room freshener there were also at least two more recalls for possible "serious" but unspecified problems with crackers, and too much arsenic in baby food. How much arsenic would be acceptable?

Walmart is being sued again for discrimination against a Muslim that was abused, and another attorney has indicated that discrimination against the disabled is also routine at Walmart. Walmart also lost a lawsuit against a pharmacist for $27.5 million, although these are almost always reduced on appeal, and they're relentlessly suing another small town to get out of paying property taxes. The courts tend to favor Walmart heavily, perhaps because they have so many political connections and can use a portion of the money consumers give them for legal expenses.

Their labor problems never stop, of course, with Walmart workers outraged that they didn't get the same raise as Sam's Club workers. It's been routine for years for many corporations to take a portion of the money they save by suppressing workers wages to buy up propaganda ads on TV falsely claiming they've been treating their workers well; Walmart and McDonald's among other corporations have been doing this for a long time, Amazon has a new ad out about a nurse being repeated over and over again. It should be obvious the more they spend on propaganda the less they're spending on any given problem, including employee relations, which should mean we should almost always assume the opposite of what for profit ads claim.

If you look closely at many supposedly unbiased news articles, it's often clear they're thinly disguised propaganda although the motivation is rarely disclosed. The media is now controlled by six corporations which makes it an oligarchy system; and they're clearly trying to make other oligarchs seem desirable, including one article that claims a merger with Home Depot makes sense, which was followed a few days later by a report that Home Depot is now hiring Walmart to do their deliveries. The clear implication is that there's no longer any doubt that we live in an oligarchy system, not a free enterprise system as the media pretends.

Another media article claims that "Even Walmart Deserves a Trial" as if they're constantly being railroaded, despite the fact that they win most of their legal cases, and more often than not, when they lose, verdicts are either overturned or dramatically cut. There are plenty of poor people that never get trials and are often in jail for pretrial until they get an offer to plead guilty and do time served or stay in jail because they can't afford bail. Our legal system is a farce and the media is covering it up in favor of the oligarchs.

In addition to that many people on social media have noticed that Walmart seems to have hired propagandists there, including one person who wrote, Any of you guys ever run into those accounts here of people who just like spend their spare time browsing this subreddit and defending Walmart from criticism? 10/06/2021 The common assumption is that these are hired trolls, possibly subjected to Walmart propaganda like the Walmart cheer and other indoctrination tactics, including their anti-union ads.

Walmart also had another prankster dressing up and approaching workers telling them they work for the corporate office and that they're firing people for a TikTok video, sometimes telling them it's a prank, other times getting caught or being asked if they could check with their real supervisors, who would be expected to inform them if it were real. This has happened at least once or twice before and angered many people.

In another instance a woman was hit in the back of the head with a chicken. Do things like this only happen at Walmart?



Strange things happen at Walmart!





In 2006 Wake Up Walmart did a study, "Is Walmart Safe?" based on incidents in 2004, (PDF) about crime at Walmart which showed that it increased when Walmarts opened up and that crime was higher at Walmart than at other retailers. Since then Walmart Shootings began compiling a list of gun related incidents at Walmart and demonstrated that they have a large number of them, including on average more than one shooting per week somewhere in the country; now after counting them for several years that average is over two per week. In January of 2014 another study, "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" provided additional statistical research indicating that Walmart might be contributing to higher crime rates or at least a slowing of the decline in crime. The study found that. “on average, communities with Walmarts had 17 more property crimes and two more violent crimes per 10,000 people than those communities without Walmarts.” I reviewed this more in Walmart’s crime problem, Rolling Back Safety more than prices? where I explained that although this study is helpful they could have done better with additional data that is available and I reviewed some of that. I also added my own review about why I think that Walmart policies have been contributing to higher crime in a previous blog, Walmart high crime rate continues un-investigaterd and have provided additional information under the author tag Walmart Crime Watch.

Stacy Mitchell has also compiled a list of other studies about Walmart and how they impact society, Key Studies on Big-Box Retail & Independent Business. To the best of my knowledge Walmart has done as little as they seem to get away with, often relying on rhetoric that isn't backed up with action, when it comes to addressing any of their critics concerns, including crime. One of the responses they’ve come up with is what they call "Restorative Justice" which gives first time shoplifters a chance to avoid being arrested or any criminal record if they take an on line course which costs $400 up front or $500 in payments, plus perhaps, reparations. This has been part of the privatization process and often denies suspects of the due process or access to a lawyer, perhaps even intimidating and extorting from some people that might not even be guilty. Walmart seems to be trying to find a way to turn crime into a profit making situation instead of looking for the most effective ways to reduce it. Making Change at Walmart is asking If you or someone you know has gone through @Walmart's "Restorative Justice" program for first-time suspected shoplifters, send us a DM. 03/30/2017 to ensure that it isn’t doing more harm than good. I did my own review of this program as well at Walmart’s “Restorative Justice” Endangers Public Without Reducing Crime. The following are a list of incidents that occurred in October 2021. According to the "Is Walmart Safe?" the average store in their sampling had 250 incidents per year indicating that these are only a fraction of the crime reports at Walmart, and presumably, the ones most likely to make the news on the internet nationwide. This isn't statistically representative, as the 2006 or the "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" study or some of the studies cited by Stacy Mitchell; but it does provide some additional information that may help recognize how many problems there are at Walmart.



New Orleans La. police investigating after person possibly shot in Walmart parking lot 10/01/2021

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a Friday afternoon shooting in New Orleans East.

The shooting happened in the 6000 block of Bullard Avenue. It appears the scene is in the parking lot of the Walmart.

Police said a man suffered a possible graze wound. Complete article


Manchester Conn. Police investigating armed robbery at Walmart parking lot 10/02/2021

MANCHESTER, Conn. (WTNH)– Manchester Police are investigating after receiving a call of an armed robbery that took place in the parking lot of Walmart on Buckland Hills Dr. Friday night.

According to reports, Manchester police believe the victim was targeted as the victim knows who the individual was. The victim was at the parking lot with the individual and a female.

There are no reported injuries at this time. Complete article


This Union-Busting Video Is Another Huge Reason To Avoid Walmart 02/20/2020

Walmart is the richest country in the world by revenue.

It has received billions in tax cuts per year thanks to the GOP.

The Walton heirs have a total wealth that is more than 43% of that of American families combined.

And many of their workers have relied on food stamps.

On top of all that, there is this anti-union video from the company that “associates” were forced to watch. Complete article


SC neighbors frustrated with FedEx, Walmart missing deliveries 10/01/2021

GREENWOOD, S.C. — Over a dozen people called or emailed the WYFF News 4 newsroom over the last two days.

Beth Darragh told WYFF News 4’s Renee Wunderlich that last month, she ordered coolers, some folding tables, fishing rods and tackle boxes. While electronic receipts say they were delivered, the packages never came to her door.

“We don’t know whose fault it is, but we don’t think it’s drivers are loaders — the people doing the physical work, we do not feel like it’s them, and I don’t want them to feel that way,” she said, “It was not delivered, but since then I followed all my packages and it started showing up delivered to Spartanburg — from Greenville and Spartanburg — and it was signed by a ‘B Snyder’.”

And she’s not alone.

“I got home, didn’t see anything in the driveway, checked the truck walked around the house, make sure I didn’t see anything, gave them a call and they said it was delivered,” said Gary McGuffin, who also lives in Greenwood, “But it was delivered here to this address, but sign to somebody that’s not me.” Complete article


Suspected Fla. Walmart shoplifters dressed toddler in stolen clothing: Sheriff 10/01/2021

Employee saves customer at Cookeville Tenn. Walmart 10/01/2021

Police: Man arrested after theft from Napa Ca. Walmart 10/02/2021

Police investigating theft incident at Cambria County Pa. Walmart 10/01/2021

Platte Colorado Walmart shoplifting suspect fatally shot by Springs police after reportedly firing at officer 10/03/2021

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - An officer trying to stop a shoplifter was forced to shoot when the suspect fired at him during the confrontation Sunday.

The officer was unhurt, but the Colorado Springs Police Department confirms the suspect died at the hospital.

According to a spokesperson for CSPD, the officer had tried to stop the man from exiting the East Platte Walmart. ....

“The CSPD officer located the male suspect, gave the suspect commands, which is suspect did not comply. The CSPD officer was able to deploy their Taser, which at this time the effectiveness is still being investigated,” Newton said. “Once a Taser was deployed, the suspect was actually able to pull a handgun and shoot off at least one round. In response, the CSPD officer pulled their duty weapon and fired at least one round, striking the suspect.” Complete article


Woman wanted for murder in North Carolina arrested at Cascade Ga. Walmart 10/04/2021

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. (CBS46) -- City of South Fulton Police arrested Camille Singleton, 31, who was the main suspect in a nationwide search for allegedly killing another woman in Clayton, North Carolina.

Around 11:30 a.m., South Fulton Police responded to a suspicious person call at the Walmart at 1105 Research Center Atlanta Drive, regarding a person that matched Singleton's description.

Officers approached the person inside the store, and Police confirmed she was Singleton. She was taken into custody without incident.

Singleton’s two-year-old son, who was the subject of an amber alert, was also with her. He was unharmed and placed with family members. Complete article


Fire in parking lot of Homosassa Fla. Walmart damages three vehicles 10/04/2021

A vehicle erupted into flames within the parking lot of the Walmart in Homosassa, burning two other vehicles.

Citrus County Fire Rescue (CCFR) was dispatched at 4:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, to the store on the corner of U.S. 19 and West Cardinal Street, where firefighters arrived at 4:26 p.m. to find three parked vehicles involved with flames, according to CCFR on Monday.

CCFR crews controlled by the blaze by 4:30 p.m. Firefighters determined the fire ignited in one vehicle before flames spread to vehicles parked on either side. No injuries were reported. Complete article


Citizens help Kennewick Wash. PD catch hit and run suspect in Walmart parking lot 10/03/2021

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Kennewick Police Department (KPD) responded to a hit and run call Saturday evening at the Kennewick Walmart. The suspect has been booked into the Benton County jail.

The incident occurred on Saturday, October 2nd at approximately 7:39 p.m., according to KPD. A Walmart customer was walking out of the grocery side exit when they were struck by a car in the crosswalk.

The victim suffered a head injury, and was transported to Trios Hospital. Their condition and extent of their injuries is currently unknown. Complete article


Two Seriously Hurt After Crash And Fire North of Dilworth Minn. Walmart 10/04/2021

(Clay County, MN) -- The driver and a passenger in a pickup truck suffered serious injuries after a rollover crash just North of the Dilworth Walmart Sunday evening.

Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting confirming to WDAY Radio the crash happened off 28th Avenue North and County Road 9 around 7:25 p.m. when the truck and another vehicle collided, causing the crash.

The driver and passenger of the truck were stuck inside while the vehicle caught on fire. Dilworth Fire also arrived on scene and put the blaze out, then extricated the two from the truck. Complete article


A Walmart-Home Depot Merger Makes Shiploads of Sense 10/04/2021

Cutting down on costs to bolster profitability is one of the chief reasons companies pursue mergers and acquisitions, and so it’s quite possible that sustained supply-chain bottlenecks will spur some previously unfathomable unions. The idea for Walmart and Home Depot to combine comes from Brittain Ladd, an industry analyst with supply-chain solutions company Kuecker Pulse Integration and a longtime consultant to the retail industry.

That’s just one possible deal permutation, although the case is convincing. Walmart is the top U.S. importer of goods by container ship, followed by Target Corp. and then Home Depot, according to the Journal of Commerce’s annual ranking. “Imagine their combined ability to collaborate on procurement,” Ladd said in a phone interview.

Not only could they negotiate better rates, but they could even acquire their own ships and sell excess capacity to other businesses by forming a logistics unit. This is a bit like the vertical integration Amazon.com Inc. has started assembling. “Supply chains have always had an element of risk to them because supply chains in most cases are truly global,” Ladd said.

“But what we’re also seeing today are supply chains that are in many ways too lean and paying for it. This is one of the best reasons for very large retailers and other companies to say, ‘We need to start thinking big in our M&A and use it to reimagine our supply chains.’” Complete article


Home Depot hires Walmart delivery drivers to drop off paint and more to customers’ doors 10/06/2021

Home Depot is hiring Walmart to deliver paint, tools and other online purchases to customers’ doors.

The two retailers announced the partnership Wednesday. The companies declined to share terms of the deal or the length of the contract.

The home improvement retailer is the first retail client to sign up for Walmart’s new delivery business, GoLocal. Walmart launched the business in late August, with plans to attract customers ranging from local stores to national players and make money from last-mile deliveries, similar to a third-party service like Instacart. Deliveries are made by gig economy workers who use Walmart’s delivery platform, Spark Driver. Complete article


Even Walmart Deserves a Trial 10/01/2021

A judge wants to hold pharmacies liable for opioid prescriptions they were obligated to fill.

Alcoholics consume a lot of gin, but liquor stores rightly aren’t liable for their “overconsumption.” A tiny percentage of legally sold guns are used to commit crimes, and only gunmen are answerable for this misuse. What of pharmaceuticals? When if ever should pharmacies be liable for harm caused by the drugs they sell? In a trial over opioid prescriptions that begins next week, a crusading judge may try to stretch liability beyond the law.

Pharmacies are and should certainly be responsible when they mess up. Say Dr. Jones prescribes rosuvastatin (a cholesterol reducer) to Mary, but the pharmacist reaches for the wrong jar and instead dispenses Valium (a benzodiazepine). Valium and alcohol have synergistic effects, so if Mary goes to a bar, she may forget how many drinks she’s had and how many pills she’s taken. If she overdoses, has respiratory failure and dies, the pharmacy must pay. Or imagine that John, a high-school freshman, impersonates Dr. Jones, calls in a prescription for pain reliever Vicodin (a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone), and gives his own phone number as a callback for confirmation. The staff pharmacist fails to check in the physician directory, and fills the prescription. John’s liver fails. The pharmacy must pay.

In both cases, the pharmacy dispensed a drug that wasn’t legally prescribed. But in the bellwether trial set to begin in October, a broader ground of liability is being advanced. Attorneys for Ohio’s Lake and Trumbull counties are suing four pharmacy chains—CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Giant Eagle—for damages they allegedly caused by filling “too many” opioid prescriptions. Complete article


Drew Eckl & Farnham Removes Personal Injury Lawsuit Against Walmart 10/04/2021

Drew Eckl & Farnham on Thursday removed a personal injury lawsuit against Walmart to Georgia Southern District Court. The suit was filed by the Roden Law Firm on behalf of David C. Orne in 4:21-cv-00283, Orne v. Wal-Mart Stores East LP.

This suit was surfaced by Law.com Radar, a source for high-speed legal news and litigation updates personalized to your practice. Law.com Radar publishes daily updates on just-filed federal cases like this one. Complete article


Woman Banned from Md. Walmart, Given Trespassing Citation 10/03/2021

Police looking for woman who stole a customer’s wallet at Va. Walmart 10/04/2021

Man admits to taking 19 upskirt videos in College Drive La. Walmart 10/03/2021

Man Arrested After Attempting to Steal Hoverboards from Manitowoc Wisc. Walmart 10/04/2021

Sebastian Fla. police investigating death at Walmart 10/05/2021

SEBASTIAN, Fla. — Sebastian police were investigating a death Tuesday morning at a Walmart.

The department announced on Facebook that officers, detectives and crime scene investigators were at 2001 U.S. Highway 1 conducting a death investigation.

A view from Chopper 5 showed police appeared to be focused on a black pickup truck in the parking lot of the Walmart. It was placed onto the back of a flatbed truck to be taken away. Complete article

Man confesses to killing fiancée, ‘staging’ her body at Walmart, Florida police say 10/05/2021


Lansing Ill. Police Investigate Armed Carjacking in Walmart Parking Lot 10/05/2021

"I really have no words because our city has literally become survival of the fittest, and it’s becoming harder and harder to protect our children."

It was in the parking lot of Walmart in Lansing where Tymeka Woods said her 19-year-old son was carjacked early Sunday morning.

"We’re thankful that, you know, this person didn’t take his life," Woods said.

Woods' son works the overnight shift at Walmart on Torrance Avenue. Woods told NBC 5 he was sitting in his car on his break when someone started tapping on his window. Complete article


Couple escapes burning RV in Pueblo Colorado West 10/05/2021

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. (KKTV) - A couple says they are thankful to be alive after their RV burst into flames late Tuesday morning.

The husband tells 11 News he and his wife were traveling home to Florida in their RV and had stopped to fill it with propane before the long journey east. While checking the tires, the husband realized the vehicle was on fire -- and his wife was still inside.

He tells 11 News reporter Jack Heeke that he pulled his wife out of the RV, grabbed what belongings he could, and they ran from the burning vehicle. Complete article


Man who pulled gun amid Walmart face mask spat says Palm Beach County Fla. Sheriff's Office defamed him on social media, files lawsuit 10/05/2021

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw did not remove online posts and images even after prosecutors dropped the case, a lawsuit says.

A 30-year-old Greenacres-area man, who made global headlines last year after he pulled a gun on a fellow Walmart shopper during an argument over face masks, has sued Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw for defamation and malicious prosecution.

Vincent Scavetta claims Bradshaw’s decision to trumpet his arrest on social media damaged his reputation, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Palm Beach County circuit court. Complete article


5 charged after Minn. Walmart uncovers $300,000 cell phone swindle at Twin Cities stores 10/05/2021

RAMSEY COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Ramsey County has charged five people in a cell phone scheme that cost Walmart, cell phone service providers and a third party sales company, Outsourced Sales Leadership, over $300,000 from November 2018 to July 2019.

The scheme involved purchasing cell phones from OSL at the locations inside of Walmart Stores around the metro. Mainly Walmart’s Midway, Apple Valley, Eagan locations.

OSL is a third party business that sells cell phones and service plans from inside of Walmart locations. The phones OSL sells are part of Walmart’s inventory. Complete article

Charges: Fraud ring ran ‘credit mule’ phone-buying scheme at Walmart, bilking $300K 10/06/2021

A fraud ring involving 15 individuals in Walmart stores in Ramsey and Dakota counties cost the retailer and a cellphone company $300,000, according to criminal charges filed this week.

The scheme involved eight people who used “credit mules” to purchase cellphones and contracts and seven store vendor employees who benefited from bonuses by selling the phones to fraudulent buyers, authorities said.

“This case is an example of our investigators’ commitment helping people who have been victimized,” said Natalie Davis, spokeswoman for the St. Paul Police Department. “Fraud investigations are incredibly complex, time consuming and important. Anything we can do to help people who’ve fallen prey to scammers and prevent future victims is a success.”

According to the criminal complaint, the investigation tracked sales from Nov. 3, 2018, through July 28, 2019, via Outsourced Sales Leadership, a Canadian company that operates as a third-party business inside Walmart stores to sell cellphone service contracts and cellphones.

During that time, police say, they documented 33 dates where cellphones were fraudulently purchased. On those dates, defendants purchased between one and six phones with contracts at a time.


Escapee nabbed in Angola Ind. Walmart 10/07/2021

ANGOLA — A tip from a citizen led to the capture Wednesday morning of a man who escaped police custody Monday in Kendallville.

David Ellis Hicks, 40, was taken into custody by Angola Police at approximately 8 a.m. after Noble County dispatchers received a tip.

Noble County dispatchers passed on the tip — and a picture of Hicks — to the Angola Police Department. Officers with that department went to Walmart, 2016 N. Wayne St., Angola, and arrested Hicks, according to the Noble County Sheriff's Department. Complete article


Meet The Socialist Walmart Worker Running For New Jersey Governor 10/05/2021

NEW JERSEY — When Gov. Phil Murphy fought for his current seat in the 2017 gubernatorial election, he faced constant questions – and criticism – about his former job as a finance executive at Goldman Sachs.

It's unlikely that Joanne Kuniansky will grapple with the same problem in 2021.

On Nov. 2, Kuniansky – the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) nomination for New Jersey governor – will match up against Murphy, the Democratic incumbent, and three other candidates who will appear on the ballot: Jack Ciattarelli (Republican Party), Gregg Mele (Libertarian Party) and Madelyn Hoffman (Green Party). Complete article


2 Conroe Tx. men speak for first time since filing federal lawsuit against Walmart over wrongful arrest, discrimination 10/05/2021

Former Police Officer and Pastor Claim Wrongful Arrest; “To not to have a voice when you know you have done nothing wrong is a humiliating feeling.”

CONROE – Dennis Stewart and Terence Richardson went to Walmart to purchase a big-screen television but ended up with big problems.

“We were two black men with a receipt,” said Richardson.

It does not get more black and white than this for Stewart, a former police officer, and Richardson, a pastor. Complete article


‘This is the last time I’ll ever shop at this store again’: Walmart Karen shouts at manager over checkout issue 10/07/2021

TikTok user @itssangiee____ spotted a so-called “Karen” throwing a fit in the middle of Walmart because she didn’t get immediate assistance checking out.

The viral video, captioned “Walmart shenanigans,” was earlier this week and amassed over 328,000 views and 11,800 likes in two days.

The 45-second video shows an elderly white woman with her mask pulled down to her chin pacing around the Walmart checkout lines and yelling very loudly.

“I want a manager,” the woman shouts to passerby.

“I was in here and I used this card and they told me it doesn’t work,” she tells the manager who comes toward her. The manager appears to try and calm her down, but the woman gets more upset. Complete article


Citizens help Kennewick Wash. PD catch hit and run suspect in Walmart parking lot 10/03/2021

Walmart is not requiring customers to be vaccinated 10/04/2021

Rome Ga. Man Jailed for Stealing from Walmart 49 Times 10/03/2021

Walmart Is Facing These 5 Shortages Right Now 10/05/2021

Teen Killed, Dad Wounded in NJ Walmart Parking Lot Shooting 10/08/2021

Gunfire in the parking lot of a New Jersey Walmart claimed the life of a teenager and left his father hospitalized Thursday night.

Albert Williams, 17, was shot and died after being rushed to Cooper University Hospital, while his 44-year-old dad was wounded and listed in stable condition at the same hospital, police said.

The shots rang out shortly before 11 p.m. outside the Walmart Supercenter on Mount Holly Road in Burlington Township, Burlington County. The store closes at 11 p.m. and investigators said no one inside was involved. Complete article

4 Charged in Shooting Outside NJ Walmart That Killed Teen and Injured Father 10/26/2021


Police investigate after man struck with pistol, robbed of personal belongings at Suffolk Va. Walmart parking lot 10/08/2021

SUFFOLK, Va. - Suffolk Police are investigating an armed robbery incident that took place on Friday.

Officials were contacted at 3:38 p.m.

According to the preliminary investigation, a physical altercation took place between two people which began at a Wendy’s in the 700 block of North Main Street and then resumed in the Walmart parking lot in the 1200 block of North Main Street.

At the Walmart parking lot, a man was struck with a pistol and robbed of personal belongings. The female suspect then fled the scene. The man suffered minor injuries. Complete article


Aiken police investigating attempted child abduction at SC Walmart on Whiskey Road 10/08/2021

The Aiken Department of Public Safety is investigating a potential child abduction attempt that occurred Wednesday.

The incident happened between 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in a toy aisle near the sporting goods section of the Walmart on Whiskey Road, according to an incident report from the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

The victim's parent stated the victim's sibling saw a male "almost put his hands around the victim's waist," according to police. Complete article


SNIFFING HIM OUT Dog the Bounty Hunter reveals crucial clues in Brian Laundrie search from surveillance at Walmart to poop at campsite 10/09/2021

DOG the Bounty Hunter has revealed new crucial clues in his hunt for Brian Laundrie, including Walmart surveillance video and poop at a campsite.

Dog, who joined the search for slain hiker Gabby Petito's fugitive fiance last month, shared his most enticing revelations with The Sun on Friday. .....

WALMART SURVEILLANCE

Dog said he's spent a substantial amount of time collecting surveillance video evidence that could help locate Laundrie.

On Friday, he visited a Walmart where the manager granted him access to a 24-hour surveillance camera, he said.

He did not specify if anything significant was found on that footage, but described a trash can located under the camera as a "criminal smorgasbord." Complete article


Disorderly Conduct at Pa. Walmart 10/06/2021

Theft from Pa. Walmart 10/08/2021

Shoplifter Arrested At Walmart On Route 59: Joliet Ill. Police 10/08/2021

Man arrested in connection to robbery, abduction at Franklin Va. Walmart 10/09/2021

FRANKLIN, Va. - Franklin Police are investigating a robbery and abduction that took place at a Walmart Friday evening.

Around 10 p.m., police responded to the incident at the Walmart located at 100 Council Drive. Police say a man approached the victim requesting money for gas but then he showed a gun and forced the victim to go into Walmart and withdraw money from ATM.

Police say the victim was then forced to drive to North Carolina. According to detectives, 39-year-old Junior Devin Williams is wanted in connection to the incident. Complete article


Mississippi Walmart put on lockdown after man with rifle walks in, police say 10/09/2021

SENATOBIA, Miss. — A Mississippi Walmart was put on lockdown for a brief time Saturday afternoon after a man walked in with a rifle slung over his shoulders, according to the Senatobia Police Department.

Police said the man walked into the Senatobia Walmart around 12:30 p.m. with the rifle on his shoulder, purchased some dog food and left.

The incident was reported to police and the Walmart was put on lockdown until officers could verify that the scene was safe, police said. Complete article


Stolen car smashes 6 vehicles at Kennewick Wash. Walmart, nearly hitting shoppers and children 10/10/2021

A call to check on the welfare of a couple parked in a car in the Walmart parking lot in Kennewick took a bad turn Saturday afternoon.

Kennewick officers were asked to check on a man and woman who appeared to be passed with some drugs in a black Chevy HHR. And callers initially thought a child might be in the backseat.

The license plates belonged to a car stolen from Richland, said a police news release. Complete article


Women getting to fist fight over school supplies at Walmart as children watch. (Video) 10/04/2021

Complete video


Fired Walmart employee trashes store (Video) 10/10/2021

Complete Video


Baby food sold only at Walmart has been recalled after testing found too much arsenic 10/10/2021

The amount of naturally occurring inorganic arsenic in Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal caused the manufacturer to recall three lots that have been sold since April 5.

Maple Island made the recall, but Parent’s Choice is a Walmart store brand. Walmart yanked the cereal from shelves and, the Maple Island-written, FDA-posted recall notice says, has put a block on the product for its online and brick-and-mortar checkouts.

“FDA has recognized that trace elements such as these are widely present in the environment, including water, soil and food,” the notice says. “The FDA also noted that research has shown reducing exposure to toxic elements is important to minimizing any potential long-term effects on the developing brains of infants and children.” Complete article


Crackers sold by Publix, Walmart and others recalled for a possibly ‘serious’ problem 10/10/2021

A packaging mistake with serious consequences to some people caused a recall of crackers sold at Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart, Kroger and other stores nationwide.

Four lots of Simple Mills Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Cracker boxes got pulled because they might have Farmhouse Cheddar Almond Flour Crackers. That’s a mistake that’s humorous to infuriating to most people. But the Fine Ground Sea Salt variety doesn’t have milk, so if Farmhouse Cheddar, which has milk, is in the box, milk is an undeclared allergen and a problem for people with a milk allergy.

“Some people who have an extreme allergy or severe sensitivity to milk could run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product,” the Simple Mills-written, FDA-posted recall notice says. Complete article


Berwick couple charged for allegedly under-ringing items at Lewisburg Pa. Walmart 10/04/2021

Letter: Walmart’s use of a derogatory term for the Japanese is shocking 10/10/2021

SPD searching for suspect in robbery in NC Walmart parking lot 10/09/2021

Walmart Argues That it is Shielded From Yeezy, Kanye West Lookalike Shoe Case by Section 230 10/11/2021

Stabbing victim airlifted to hospital after fight at Ithaca NY Walmart 10/12/2021

Ithaca, N.Y. — A man was airlifted to a regional trauma center Monday after he was stabbed at the Walmart Supercenter in Ithaca, police said.

Ithaca police and Bangs Ambulance were called at 4:10 p.m. for a reported stabbing at the Walmart Supercenter, at 135 Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway. When they arrived, emergency crews found the victim had been stabbed in the abdomen, Ithaca police Sgt. Thomas W. Condzella said in a news release.

Police say another person stabbed the man during a fight; the suspect then ran away. Complete article


Young girl asking for help in Arkansas Walmart parking lot leads to human trafficking arrests 10/11/2021

A 17-year-old girl asked for help at an Arkansas Walmart, leading to the arrests of four people who have now been indicted with human trafficking and rape charges.

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Four people have been indicted on charges related to human trafficking after a girl from Phoenix was in a West Memphis Walmart parking lot asking for help after saying she had been sexually assaulted.

The initial incident happened on Jan. 9, 2021, and officers say the 17-year-old girl told authorities that she had been kidnapped from Arizona to be "used as a prostitute." Complete article


Fla. Walmart targeted in bank robbery 10/11/2021

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A banking center inside a Walmart was the target of a robbery on Monday, according to police.

West Palm Beach police say at approximately 11:45 a.m. the bank inside the Walmart located on 45th Street and Military Trail was the target of an attempted robbery.

Police say no weapon was displayed, only implied. Complete article


Walmart and Costco limit toilet paper sales while toy companies warn parents their kids' Christmas gifts won't arrive in time thanks to backlog at ports, rail yards and on the roads 10/11/2021

Rather than compete, Walmart inks exclusive deal with Netflix 10/12/2021

Member of organized Tx. Walmart shoplifting scheme pleads guilty 10/12/2021

Dickson City Police need help to identify suspect in Pa. Walmart theft 10/13/2021

Teenager held at gunpoint in Ga. Walmart parking lot 10/12/2021

COVINGTON — A teenager walking to her car in the Walmart parking lot on Salem Road Saturday night was held at gunpoint by two unidentified suspects.

According to a report by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the 17-year-old McDonough woman was walking to her car at about 10:30 p.m. when she was approached by two men who tried to rob her. At least one of the men had a handgun.

The report stated that two people in the parking lot witnessed the robbery attempt. When the suspects realized they were being watched, they fled the scene, according to the NCSO report. Complete article


Sheriff looking for suspect in attempted robbery at Hazel Dell Wash. Walmart 10/12/2021

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man suspected in an attempted robbery Tuesday at the Hazel Dell Walmart.

Deputies were dispatched at 12:24 p.m. to 9000 N.E. Highway 99 for reports of a disturbance with a weapon.

According to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian, callers initially reported an active shooter inside Walmart. Deputies later said someone had displayed a firearm while trying to leave the store with stolen merchandise. Complete article


Evansville Ind. Mother Speaks About Being Ran Over by SUV in Walmart Parking Lot 10/12/2021

On Saturday night, a hit and run occurred in the Walmart parking lot on the West side of Evansville that sent one woman to the hospital with injuries.

Ariel Bell and her family were entering the Walmart parking lot for a fun Halloween themed shopping night when a car began pursuing them closely, flashing its lights, and honking at them after a 3-way stop.

That’s when Ariel and her fiancé pulled their car over and stepped out of their vehicle to figure out what had the pursuing driver in such a frenzy.

“I take two steps away from the Jeep, to walk towards them, and they hit me from my rear fender and dragged me to the front fender," said Ariel Bell.

After the incident, the driver of the vehicle fled the scene. Bell says she suffered a two-minute seizure and woke up in her fiancé’s arms. Complete article


Greenwood SC police: Walmart reports $10K stolen 10/12/2021

A Greenwood woman is facing a breach of trust charge after Walmart reported $10,000 in $100 bills had been stolen, according to a report.

Tonya Gauvin Rodgers, 46, of 213 Greenway Drive, Greenwood was arrested Monday and charged with breach of trust, value $10,000 or more.

On Saturday, Greenwood police were called out to the Walmart at 300 Bypass 25 NE, where staff said $10,000 in revenue was missing from the store, the report said. Complete article


Police beat: 3 nabbed after items reported stolen from Va. Walmart 10/12/2021

Chesterfield Va. Police looking for suspects in Walmart theft 10/13/2021

Casper Wyoming Westside Walmart Closed Till Friday Due to COVID-19 Concerns 10/13/2021

Lyman man receives 15-year prison sentence for Jan. 2020 SC Walmart armed robbery 10/14/2021

Hours-long standoff leads to arrest at Tulsa Okla. Walmart 10/13/2021

TULSA, Okla. — Police arrested a man at a Tulsa Walmart after a standoff that lasted several hours on Tuesday afternoon.

Tulsa police say they were called to the home near 46th Street North and Peoria about a shooting around 3 p.m.

Police were looking for a man they say shot another man outside the home. The victim was taken to the hospital as officers worked to get the suspected shooter outside.

After several hours, police found out there was no one in the house and later found the man they were looking for at the Walmart location near Admiral and Memorial. Complete article


Man, 28, charged with groping, threatening 2 women with knife as they shopped in Ga. Walmart 10/13/2021

A Riverdale man is in jail after making verbal and physical sexual actions to two women at the Walmart in Fayetteville, while pulling a knife on one woman and threatening to do so to the other.

Temujin J. Perkins, 28, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery, disorderly conduct and obstruction, according to Fayetteville Police Department spokesperson Ann Marie Burdett.

Burdett said police on Oct. 8 at approximately 11:15 a.m. were dispatched to the Walmart at the Fayette Pavilion in reference to a domestic dispute.

Burdett said officers met with a complainant outside the Walmart store, who said she was inside the store when approached by a black male subject who asked her if he could touch her breasts. The complainant asked the subject “if he wanted to get slapped?” Complete article


Woman claims she was mugged in Escambia County Fla. Walmart parking lot 10/13/2021

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- An Escambia County woman says she was beaten and robbed in broad daylight Wednesday morning in a Walmart parking lot.

According to deputies, the incident happened just after 10 a.m. at the Walmart store on Navy Blvd.

Lisa Gray tells Channel 3 she had cashed a social security check when a man behind her asked her for money to pay his electric bill. She declined, but says the man followed her to her car.

Gray says that's when he tried to snatch her purse -- knocking her to ground and striking her in the face. After snatching the money, Gray says he fled the scene as her 13-year-old son and a Walmart employee chased after him. Complete article

Citizen donates $1,000 to Escambia County woman mugged outside Walmart 10/14/2021


Lady Lake woman arrested in battle over phone in Fla. Walmart parking lot 10/12/2021

A Lady Lake woman was arrested in connection with a battle over a phone in a Walmart parking lot.

Angela Lenette Johnson, 33, is free on $25,500 bond following her arrest on charges of burglary with assault or battery and criminal mischief Friday night at the Walmart in Fruitland Park.

Johnson got out of her vehicle and approached the vehicle of another woman, who was in the driver’s seat, playing a game on her phone, according to an arrest report from the Fruitland Park Police Department. Johnson reached into the woman’s car, pulled her hair and punched her in the face. She snatched the woman’s phone and threw it to the ground, causing the screen to crack. Johnson fled the scene, but was later arrested at her home at 425 Winners Circle in Lady Lake. She was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting bond. Complete article


Police: 1 suspect arrested, 1 at large in Windsor Ca. Walmart burglary 10/14/2021

Dickson City Pa. Police need help to identify suspect in Walmart theft 10/13/2021

Duo wanted for stealing $800 in electronics from Bedford Va. Walmart 10/14/2021

Smoky haze evacuates Fla. Walmart 10/13/2021

Roseburg Oregon woman arrested in connection to previous Walmart theft 10/15/2021

Two brothers among four charged in robbery of teen outside Mich. Walmart 10/14/2021

Suspects allegedly took cash, cellphone, credit card

Two brothers are among four people charged in connection with a robbery of a teenager outside of a Walmart in Sterling Heights earlier this week, police said Thursday.

The four are accused of confronting the teen who was selling clothing in the parking lot of the Walmart on Van Dyke Avenue at 14 Mile Road at robbing him at gunpoint. Complete article


Man arrested at Ind. Walmart for intimidation, carrying handgun 10/15/2021

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A man has been charged with carrying a handgun without a license and intimidation for an incident that happened at Walmart on Wednesday, according to court records.

South Bend Police were called to the Walmart on W. Ireland Road for reports of a man with a gun making threats.

When officers arrived, the victim said he was shopping with his girlfriend and child when two men and a woman approached him.

He said he recognized one of the men as Toolie, someone he had not seen in several years. Complete article


Walmart on Boston Road in Springfield Mass. evacuated after two incidents 10/15/2021

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Walmart on Boston Road in Springfield was temporarily closed Friday afternoon after an incident where a 911 caller claimed a gun was involved.

According to Springfield Police Spokesperson Ryan Walsh, officers were sent to the store around 11:50 a.m. Friday morning for a verbal disturbance. A person involved told police he had a license to carry but no firearm was shown.

Around 1:30 p.m. officers received another 911 call for a picture sent through text messages stating there was a person with a gun inside the store. Officers went back to the store and evacuated the building for the safety of customers and employees but found nothing of significance. Officers were able to be shown the picture, which showed the incident from earlier in the day. Complete article


19-year-old from Texas threatened with knife for ride to Walmart by man in Ceres Ca. 10/14/2021

CERES, Calif. (KTXL) — A 19-year-old woman from Texas who was pumping gas in Ceres was forced to drive to Walmart by a homeless man, police said.

Ceres police said the 19-year-old was at a gas station on Hatch Road and Richland Avenue when she was approached by a man. The man asked her for a ride, but she declined and went inside the gas station to pay.

Police said the man again approached her when she returned but this time had a knife. According to police, he then told her to drive him to Walmart, which she did. Complete article


Gorham police search for woman they say dragged officer with car at Walmart 10/15/2021

Gorham police are on the lookout for a woman they say dragged a police officer with her car in a Walmart parking lot.

Officer Holly Carter was dragged a short distance, but was not injured, the police chief said.

Authorities said officers were following up on a previous shoplifting investigation at the store just before 9:30 p.m. Thursday. While at Walmart, Officer Carter was alerted that a woman had allegedly shoplifted a cart full of goods and was heading to the parking lot without paying.

When Carter approached the suspect, authorities said that woman began throwing items at her. That's when police said the suspect attempted to get into a black sedan and leave. Complete article


Iraqi refugee sues Mich. Walmart, claims workplace racial discrimination 10/14/2021

Dearborn — An Iraqi woman who came to the United States as a refugee is suing her employer for alleged racial discrimination, claiming a hostile work environment due to her national origin and religion, according to a lawsuit.

Seenaa Najim, 46, of Inkster filed the suit Thursday against Walmart and two of its employees with the Wayne County Circuit Court, claiming, "constant, heinous discrimination and verbal abuse" on account of her Iraqi origins and being a practicing Muslim who wears a hijab.

Najim alleges in the suit that the two employees, managers at the Walmart Supercenter in Dearborn, directed racist language at her, calling her a "camel jockey", a "stupid f------- Arab" and saying "Arabs are s---" and "Muslims are s---."

Najim, her attorney Nabih Ayad and members of the Arab-American Civil Rights League (ACRL) announced the lawsuit at a Thursday afternoon press conference at ACRL headquarters. Complete article


Companies latest weapon in the war for talent — free college degrees. Why it’s important to read the fine print. 10/15/2021

Four Valley Residents Arrested In Notable Sonora Ca. Walmart Shoplifting Case 10/15/2021

Union Gap man sentenced for trying to molest boy at Wash. Walmart bathroom in 2019 10/15/2021

PD: Mom Leaves Child Alone In Car Outside NJ Walmart, Assaults Police 10/15/2021

Fight leads to panic at Walmart; no active shooter, Laurel Mississippi PD says 10/15/2021

A man was arrested at Walmart in Laurel after a fight broke out at the store and at least one gun was visible Friday at about 2:30 p.m. Reports of there being an active shooter inside the store were unfounded, Laurel police Deputy Chief Earl Reed said.

"There is no danger to the community and no danger to Walmart," Reed said.

Two victims were taken to Laurel police headquarters, Reed said. Complete article


BB gun prompts active shooter scare at Virginia Walmart, Crime Insider says 10/16/2021

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A BB gun prompted an active shooter scare at the Walmart on Nine Mile Road in Henrico County Saturday afternoon, according to Crime Insider sources.

Police received multiple 911 calls about a man inside the store with a long rifle just after 12:50 p.m., according to Lt. K. L. Motley with Henrico Police.

"First arriving officers witnessed customers running out of the store and received a report that shots had been fired," Motley said. "The entering officer quickly learned that no shots had been fired and the individual with the alleged long rifle had not been assaultive or threatening."

Police placed the store on lock down while officers cleared the building and made sure there were no threats, Motley said. Complete article


Disability attorney says Walmart’s firing of Down syndrome woman is part of a pattern 10/15/2021

The firing of Marlo Spaeth, an employee with Down syndrome who worked at Walmart for nearly 16 years, was not a one-time incident, but rather part of the retailer’s pattern, a disability rights attorney said in a court filing Friday.

In the document, attorney Monica Murphy describes how she has represented six Wisconsin residents with disabilities, over the past five years, who have faced similar discrimination at Walmart. She said Walmart refused to accommodate these workers and instead took away their hours or forced them to take unpaid leave. Murphy is an attorney for Disability Rights Wisconsin, a nonprofit group with a mission of protecting the rights of people with disabilities.

Several other court filings on Friday told the stories of other Walmart employees with disabilities who were fired from their jobs. They included lawsuits filed by the workers’ families and a jury verdict in another discrimination lawsuit that awarded more than $5 million in damages to a former Walmart employee. The employees lived in other states, including Maine, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Complete article

Walmart has been found to repeatedly fire employees with disabilities instead of offering reasonable accommodations 10/17/2021


Giant retailers like Walmart rob American consumers of choice. Here's how antitrust regulation could help resurrect local businesses. 10/16/2021

For Americans who were born in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, corporate market consolidation might feel like the natural order of things. We grew up in a country where Walmarts and other big box stores dotted rural and suburban landscapes, and the surge in Amazon's prominence over the last two decades has felt in some ways like the organic continuation of that trend — an even-larger fish eating the smaller fish in the pond, as nature intended.

But there's nothing natural about that progression. In fact, the consolidated market power of corporations in the retail, banking, and food and farming sectors over the past four decades is the end result of policy choices our leaders made in the 80s and 90s. Those choices have systematically driven down worker wages and wiped out small businesses from coast to coast, while enriching a handful of CEOs, shareholders, and executives. Complete article


Dubuque Iowa Police looking to identify person suspected of stealing from Walmart 10/15/2021

Woman allegedly skip-scanned party supplies at Tx. Walmart 10/14/2021

Woke Walmart trains staffers in critical race theory: US a ‘white-supremacy system’ 10/15/2021

Bloomington man sentenced 4 years for burglary in Ill. Walmart looting 10/16/2021

Lyman man receives 15-year prison sentence for Jan. 2020 SC Walmart armed robbery 10/14/2021

‘I’m still in shock’: Vehicle upends SUV in Auburn Maine Walmart parking lot 10/18/2021

Seven vehicles were damaged and there were no injuries, police said.

AUBURN — Fire and rescue personnel responded to the Walmart parking lot on Mount Auburn Avenue just after noon Monday when an vehicle struck a parked SUV so hard it went under it.

Police said Doris Galarneau, 83, was helped by a passerby from her Honda CR-V, uninjured, after the Honda Pilot on top of her vehicle was stabilized.

“It is still under investigation,” Auburn Deputy Police Chief Timothy A. Cougle said Monday afternoon. “It appears at this point there was a situation where she tried to pull into a parking place and hit the brake and probably hit the accelerator, which of course accelerated (the car) across the parking lot striking six different vehicles.” Complete article


WATCH: Elderly Woman Run Over by Pickup at Tx. Walmart Supercenter 10/18/2021

SAN ANGELO, TX –– A pedestrian was transported to the hospital with minor injuries after a crash in front of Walmart Supercenter on Sherwood Way Monday morning.

According to Officer Long with the San Angelo Police Department, a gray Dodge pickup was leaving a parking spot and attempting to turn left onto the travel lanes in front of the store when the crash occurred.

The driver told police he did not see the victim, an elderly female, as she exited Walmart. According to the driver, he struck the victim's cart causing the elderly woman to fall over. Complete article


'Suspicious fire' could have Rincon Ga. Walmart closed for days 10/20/2021

The Rincon Police Department is investigating an overnight fire at Walmart that has shut down the store and could keep it closed for several days.

A fire at the Rincon Walmart could have the store closed for several days.

Authorities say the fire is considered suspicious. The Rincon Police Department is investigating. Complete article

Authorities charge 14-year-old child with arson after fire at Rincon Walmart 10/21/2021


Walmart Looks to Expand Its Healthcare Presence to Self-Funded Plans 10/19/2021

With a new digital partnership, Walmart has set its sights on attracting members of self-funded employer health plans.

October 19, 2021 - The leading retailer continues to make in-roads in the healthcare space, now with an offering aimed at self-funded employer health plans.

Walmart has partnered with a digital platform to provide self-funded employers and their employees with access to cost-effective healthcare.

“We are committed to providing care to customers and the communities we serve through an integrated, omnichannel approach that improves engagement, health equity, and outcomes,” stated Cheryl Pegus, MD, executive vice president of health and wellness at Walmart. Complete article


Combatting 'critical shortage': Kentucky Blood Center offers $15 Walmart gift cards to donors this week 10/19/2021

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky Blood Center is offering $15 Walmart gift cards to those who donate blood this week to combat what they refer to as a critical shortage.

KBC has seen a significant increase in blood usage at hospitals across the states. With fewer mobile blood drives available, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, authorities say this has led to the shortage. Complete article


Abbott Received Donation From Walmart to Fight Federal Vaccine Mandate 10/19/2021

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott received a donation from Walmart's political action committee to fight against the COVID-19 vaccine federal mandate.

The donation comes in light of the retail industry's widespread concerns about labor shortages and holiday shopping.

Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, made the $10,000 donation on Sept. 29 through the company's PAC. Complete article


Opelika Alabama police searching for Walmart theft suspect 10/18/2021

Glenpool Okla. Walmart Evacuated Due To Gas Smell 10/18/2021

Marine veteran wants to sue Minn. Walmart after pharmacist denied him access to ivermectin 10/18/2021

REPORT: CCSD coach met with female student in Las Vegas Nevada Walmart parking lot for sex 10/18/2021

Billionaire ex-Walmart exec says the first 'settlers' of his planned $400 billion city 'Telosa' will likely be selected through applications - and they could move in by 2030 10/18/2021

2 women charged with stealing $3,000 in merchandise from Walmart at Pittsburgh Mills Pa. 10/18/2021

Gorham NH Walmart temporarily closes for cleaning after rise in employee COVID-19 cases 10/19/2021

Walmart shoplifting suspect accused of assaulting 3 Dartmouth Mass. police officers 10/21/2021

DARTMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A Walmart shoplifting suspect was arrested Wednesday after officials say he assaulted three Dartmouth police officer who was trying to apprehend him.

Joshua Audette, 30, of Fall River, is facing charges including shoplifting, resisting arrest, and three accounts of assault and battery on a police officer, according to the Dartmouth Police Department.

Officers responding to a report of a shoplifter who had fled the Walmart in the town were able to identify Audette as the suspect after reviewing surveillance images with the store’s loss prevention team.

When officers stopped a vehicle that Audette was riding in later in the day, he allegedly became combative and assaulted them. Complete article


Police searching for woman who stole service dog from Walmart in NH 10/22/2021

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. (WHDH) - Police are turning to the public for help tracking down a woman who stole a service dog that was assisting a customer at a Walmart in New Hampshire earlier this week.

Emmy Lou, a 9-year-old mini pinscher/terrier mix, was taken from the Walmart in Somersworth around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Somersworth Police Department.

Police say Emmy Lou is dark brown with a white chest. She has black hair on her head that looks like a mohawk, as well as white around her mouth and eyes due to age. Complete article

Police Arrest Woman After Service Dog Stolen From New Hampshire Walmart 10/22/2021


Deadly bacteria found in aromatherapy product sold at Walmart 10/22/2021

The spray, sold under the Better Homes & Gardens brand, has been linked to four cases of a rare bacterial illness. Two people have died.

An aromatherapy room spray sold at Walmart has been linked to four cases of a highly uncommon bacterial infection that's rarely seen in the United States.

The cases were identified in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota and Texas. Two of the people, including a child, have died.

On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Walmart, which sold the product, "Better Homes & Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones," is recalling nearly 4,000 bottles.

Because of the possibility that people using the product will inhale it, the CPSC is urging anyone in possession of the spray to return it to Walmart rather than dispose of it themselves.

The agency is advising consumers to return the product to Walmart in "clean, clear zip-top resealable bags" placed in a "small cardboard box." Complete article

List of every Walmart store that sold room spray blamed for deadly bacterial infection 10/31/2021


Homer troopers look to identify men stealing from Cortlandville NY Walmart 10/20/2021

Man charged after allegedly inappropriately touching juvenile in tool section of Clarksburg WV Walmart 10/20/2021

Five people plead guilty to Walmart theft ring across 35 states 10/19/2021

Authorities evacuate Biloxi Mississippi Walmart store 10/19/2021 Details are limited, but Biloxi police are responding to a “non-specific bomb threat” at the Walmart Supercenter located on C.T. Switzer Drive.

Alliance Ohio police respond to claims about drugging and kidnappings at Walmart 10/19/2021 Police say they have seen the posts, but there are zero reported incidents of this happening.

Suspect in ‘ninja costume’ attacks Aiken SC Walmart worker with sword 10/22/2021

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Police are investigating a stabbing incident at an Aiken Walmart after a worker was reportedly attacked by a suspect dressed as a ninja.

Just after midnight on Friday, the Aiken Department of Public Safety responded to the Walmart on Richland Avenue following reports of a stabbing, an incident report states.

Once on scene, officers met with the victim who sustained stabbing wounds to his mouth, the back-left side of his head and on his left hand.

The victim told police he was attacked by a Black male dressed like a ninja who stabbed him multiple times before fleeing out the garden section of the store. Complete article


Woman in custody after witnesses say she pepper sprayed patrons at Walmart in Bismarck ND 10/22/2021

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - A Fargo woman is in custody after police say she pepper sprayed patrons at the North Walmart in Bismarck Thursday.

Bismarck police say they were called to a fight at the store and found 26-year-old Kassie Jo Redroad with an off-duty deputy who was restraining her. Witnesses told police Redroad was shoplifting and someone approached her. Dispatchers told police that Redroad had pepper sprayed multiple people including three Walmart employees.

Redroad is charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of drugs, and theft among other charges. Complete article


Man strikes woman with truck at Ill. Walmart 10/22/2021

A Dupo man was charged with a felony following a Wednesday night incident in the Walmart parking lot.

Waterloo police said that at about 8:40 p.m. said the driver. ...... Complete article


Walmart, CVS Seek Opioid Mistrial After Juror Does Own Research 10/25/2021

CVS Health Corp., Giant Eagle Inc., Walgreens, and Walmart Inc.—facing claims that they helped fuel the nationwide opioid crisis—sought a mistrial from a federal judge in Cleveland after a juror returned to court with pamphlets that allegedly contradicted their testimony.

The retail pharmacy chains moved to derail a bellwether trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio over pamphlets—shown by “Juror 4" to other jury members—indicating that the opioid cessation drugs the pharmacies sell for profit are available for free elsewhere.

The trial of public nuisance claims on behalf of two Ohio counties is the first major test of allegations that prescription-oversight and supply-control failures by large retail pharmacies are to blame for the opioid crisis, with billions in broader potential liability riding partly on the result.

In their Sunday motion for a mistrial, the pharmacies say the opioid cessation materials—which the juror collected on her own after “insinuations” about “corporate greed” by counsel for the counties leading the case—irreparably “tainted” the rest of the jury, even though Juror 4 was removed. Complete article


‘Stop stealing from self-checkout’: TikToker says Walmart has new tech to catch customers stealing 10/22/2021

A TikToker issued a viral public service announcement for Walmart customers with sticky fingers.

In a TikTok posted on Oct. 21, Réjean Allen (@rejeanlevell) shows alleged new surveillance technology in the store. The new cameras are above the self-checkout lanes and allegedly feature videos of those it thinks are trying to steal while in self-checkout lanes.

“The slightest hand movement that looks like you’re stealing, that camera catches it and it puts in on the screen,” Allen alleges in the TikTok. “And then it will replay your video back of when you’re trying to steal something if you didn’t scan it.” Complete article


‘This one is just cruel… Not funny at all’: TikToker slammed for putting on suit and ‘firing’ Walmart workers as prank 10/21/2021

Prank channels and controversy often go hand in hand, but one Walmart prank video, in particular, is angering viewers.

A video posted to the @kingzehn TikTok earlier this month features one of the pranksters dressed up in business casual attire and pretending to be a corporate manager at Walmart.

“We are going to have to let you go,” he says to a random employee shelving products on the floor.

The worker seems jarred and quietly asks if it’s OK if he checks with his team lead about it.

“This is kind of random, having a guy come up saying that they have to let me go, you know?” he says. Complete article


Accused Lufkin Tx. Walmart shoplifter caught in cooler 10/20/2021

Woman Attempts to Steal Jewelry from Manitowoc Wisc. Walmart 10/21/2021

Investigators searching for male who groped woman at Smyrna Tenn. Walmart 10/22/2021

Man in custody after 41 iPhones are stolen from Cody Wyoming Walmart 10/22/2021

Queensbury man charged with theft from two NY Walmart stores on same day 10/22/2021

Missing endangered young woman found safe and unharmed at Chubbuck Idaho Walmart 10/22/2021

Repeat offender busted at Leesburg Fla. Walmart 10/22/2021

Man arrested for stealing $36,000 from Wyoming Walmart 10/23/2021

Lexington County SC Deputies investigating bomb threat, store partially reopened 10/24/2021

Stoughton Wisc. police arrest 16-year-old for attempted purse-snatching at Walmart 10/25/2021

Shooting near Lubbock Tx. Walmart ends with injuries, multiple arrests 10/26/2021

LUBBOCK, Texas– Lubbock Police responded to a shooting in north Lubbock near Walmart on Avenue Q, that ended with two people injured and three arrested.

Authorities were on scene at two locations, according to the Lubbock Police Department.

Police confirmed that the initial call came to the 1800 block of 3rd Street just after midnight.

Officials said two people suffered non-serious injuries and three suspects were arrested. Complete article

Weed deal outside Walmart went wrong, new details of shooting in LPD police report 10/28/2021


Police arrest man who allegedly pulled gun on deputy at Calallen Tx. Walmart 10/25/2021

A man was arrested after he allegedly pulled a gun on an off-duty deputy at the Walmart in the Calallen area Monday evening, prompting a police response.

Nueces County Precinct 5 Constable Oscar Mendoza said a male suspect was attempting to steal something from the store, displayed and pointed a handgun at a deputy who was working security.

The man fled the store while pointing the gun at store associates. Law enforcement pursued him until he was found hiding in a drainage ditch, Mendoza said.

The man, identified as Albert Abel Fuentes, was arrested and will be charged with evading arrest, deadly conduct, assault on a police officer and more.

Senior Officer Travis Pace said the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, hit an 18-wheeler and was pursued by officers. Complete article


Sheriff’s Deputies Find No Armed Subject After 911 Call And Search Of San Jacinto Ca. Walmart 10/25/2021

SAN JACINTO (CBSLA) – Reports of an armed man inside a Walmart in San Jacinto Monday prompted Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputies to evacuate the building and conduct a search, though no one was found and no injuries were reported.

The possible “active shooter” call was received about 5:45 p.m. at the store in the 1800 block of South San Jacinto Avenue, according to reports from the scene.

It was unclear what led to the 911 call, and sheriff’s officials only said a search of the store was being conducted.

“Area has been thoroughly searched. No armed subject located. Areas has been deemed safe for the public,” the sheriff’s department tweeted at 7:36 p.m. Complete article

San Jacinto Walmart employee suffered injury in gunman confrontation 10/26/2021


Police respond to North Augusta SC Walmart after tip from bounty hunter 10/26/2021

Police responded to the Walmart on Edgefield Road after receiving a tip from a bounty hunter that an armed and dangerous wanted individual was in the store.

Around 9 p.m. Monday night, officers responded to the Walmart on Edgefield Road after a complaint was made by a bounty hunter.

"The bounty hunter had reason to believe there was an individual wanted for arrest inside the Walmart," said Lt. Tim Thornton with the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.

Thornton said the individual was "known to be armed and dangerous."

However, police said the intel the bounty hunter received was unsubstantiated. Complete article


Suspicious package causes evacuation at Geneseo NY Walmart 10/24/2021

FOLLOW-UP: Remember the thief who posed as a Ga. Walmart employee? 10/25/2021

Police search for tips in Albuquerque NM shooting following last June Walmart altercation 10/25/2021

Man gets away with $2,244 in earbuds from Grovetown Ga. Walmart 10/25/2021

Man Caught Attempting to Steal from the Manitowoc Wisc. Walmart Twice in One Day 10/25/2021

Walmart Cashier Pays for Customers in Need and Refuses to Take the Money Back 10/25/2021

Video Exposes Walmart Warehouse Hoarding PlayStation Consoles Amid Supply Chain Issues 10/26/2021

Walmart to temporarily close its Dickinson ND store 10/26/2021

Ill. Walmart employee attempts to steal TV 10/26/2021

Police: Utica NY man arrested for entering Walmart with a modified weapon 10/27/2021

UTICA, N.Y. (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY/NEWS10) – On Tuesday, October 26, around 10:00 p.m., Utica Police arrested a man on illegal weapons charges after entering a Walmart with a modified weapon. Customers in the store said that they saw the man, and notified the store’s staff, who then contacted the police.

Ryan Doliver, 28, of Utica, Police said appeared to be carrying a handgun at his waist side, acting suspiciously at the Walmart, in North Utica. Police say, they identified Doliver as the suspect, who was located outside in the parking lot, when officers arrived.

During further investigation by police, a search of the immediate area was also conducted, which resulted in the discovery of a BB gun underneath a nearby storage container Officers said. Complete article


Wenatchee woman accused of hitting man with her car in Wash. Walmart parking lot 10/26/2021

A Wenatchee woman was arrested last week after allegedly striking a 74-year-old man who was on foot with her car in the Walmart parking lot.

Police say Kelly D. Gleason, 35, was waiting for another car to vacate a parking space Friday, when the driver of a nearby truck backed into her vehicle.

The driver got out of his truck to speak with Gleason, and when he walked back in front of her car, she allegedly lurched the vehicle forward and knocked him to the ground. Complete article


Walmart Says It Was Blindsided by Its Ouster from Tricare Network 10/25/2021

Days before Tricare pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts announced that Walmart is leaving the Tricare network, the retail giant had inked a "multi-year" deal to remain, according to a company spokesman.

The spokesman said late Friday that Walmart was "surprised" to learn that its pharmacy contract had been terminated, adding that the company and Express Scripts signed an agreement Sept. 30 for it to remain in the network.

"We value our Tricare and [Defense Department] customers and are disappointed in Express Script's [sic] decision and we have requested more information from them to understand their decision," Luke Kleyn, a vice president at Walmart, said in an email to Military.com. "We have asked Express Scripts to honor the agreement we both recently signed." Complete article

CVS returns to the military Tricare pharmacy network. Walmart’s out 10/28/2021


Arrest made following Tenn. Walmart shoplifting incident 10/25/2021

Man Walked out of Circleville Ohio Walmart in Cuffs 10/26/2021

Dickinson ND Walmart announces closure of 2 days for COVID cleaning 10/26/2021

Fla. Walmart employees who witnessed shooting testify in Markeith Loyd murder trial 10/26/2021 Loyd accused of killing Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton in Jan. 2017

Goldsboro police investigate report of large fight inside NC Walmart, shots fired outside of store 10/27/2021

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WNCN) – Goldsboro police said officers are investigating claims of a large fight inside the Walmart on Spence Avenue on Wednesday along reports of shots being fired outside the store.

Officers were called to the Walmart, located at 1002 N. Spence Ave., just before 10:45 a.m. in reference to a fight in the store.

A “concerned citizen” reported an active fight involving several people in the store.

Upon arrival, officers also received a report of shots being fired outside of the Walmart.

“Officers found no active disturbance or fight and heard no shots being fired. All parties involved left the scene prior to officers’ arrival,” Goldsboro police said in a release. Complete article


One person dead in rollover crash at Albuquerque NM Walmart 10/28/2021

Medical episode suspected in death of man found in Walmart parking lot

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque Police Department was investigating a crash that killed one person Wednesday late afternoon.

Police said several calls came in about a possible rollover crash in the Walmart parking lot on Eubank near Copper.

When police arrived, they found a male trapped in his car and unconscious. That man later died in his vehicle. Complete article


Standoff at Ariz. Walmart Neighborhood Market 10/28/2021

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Heavy police activity was spotted at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on 8th Street, while three or four people barricaded themselves in a car.

Officers say it happened around 11 Wednesday evening. Police asked each person to get out of the car for an unknown reason.

After a few failed attempts, one person was seen running away from the officers.

It is unclear if that suspect is still on the loose. Complete article


VIDEO: RCSD trying to identify robbery suspect of Columbia SC WalMart 10/27/2021

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Investigators are asking for help identifying a man wanted on robbery charges.

Deputies were called to the Walmart at 321 Killian Road on Oct. 23 around 6 p.m. for a strong-arm robbery.

Deputies say a man was trying to leave the store with a cart full of merchandise. The cart included electronics and small kitchen appliances.

When a Walmart employee attempted to stop him, he pulled a knife from his pocket and flashed it to the clerk, then walked out. Complete article


‘You can’t pay bills on $12 an hour’: Walmart employees left out of raises 10/28/2021

Company announced it would raise minimum wage at Sam’s Club to $15, but Walmart workers were only bumped up to $12.

Mendy Hughes, 46, has worked as a cashier for Walmart in Malvern, Arkansas, for 11 years.

Her hourly wage, after a recent increase, is $12.85 an hour, a mere 85 cents more than the hourly starting wage for new hires despite her 11 years with the company.

“You can’t pay your bills, rent and buy groceries on $12 an hour. I don’t think anywhere in the United States, you can do that. No way,” said Hughes, who is a member of the campaign group United for Respect. “I don’t understand how they think $12 an hour is enough to live on, because it’s not at all.” Complete article


Walmart sues Burlington Wisc. in effort to lower its property tax bill using 'dark store' loophole 10/27/2021

BURLINGTON — Walmart is fighting to cut the taxable value of its Burlington store nearly in half, in the latest incident of “dark store” taxation, an issue that has divided state lawmakers in Madison.

Walmart has filed suit against the City of Burlington, accusing the city of excessive taxation, in a civil action aimed at slashing the store’s assessment from $8.6 million to $4.5 million.

Wisconsin state tax law allows big-box retail stores to pay taxes on active properties at the same rate that they pay on vacant properties, or “dark stores.” Complete article


Man charged with Mississippi Walmart burglary 10/27/2021

KNOW HIM? Man Caught On Tape Stealing Wallet From Lehigh Valley Pa. Walmart 10/27/2021

Trio allegedly had treats, then skip-scanned items at Tx. Walmart 10/26/2021

Man who fired gun outside East Bakersfield Ca. Walmart in Dec. gets probation 10/26/2021

Morrisville NC police asking for public’s help ID’ing person who robbed bank inside Walmart 10/28/2021

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — Morrisville police are hoping someone might recognize the person who robbed a bank last weekend.

According to Town of Morrisville spokesperson Wil Glenn, the suspect robbed the Woodforest Bank just after 11 a.m. on Oct. 23. The bank is located inside the Walmart at 1001 Shiloh Glenn Drive.

Surveillance photos from the bank show a person wearing a patterned face mask, big sunglasses, a ballcap, and a jean jacket. Complete article


Woman hit in the back of head by cold chicken thrown at her at Pa. Walmart 10/28/2021

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A 52-year-old Chambersburg woman was hit in the back of the head by cold chicken when it was thrown at her, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

State Police responded to the incident on October 7 at the Walmart Supercenter in Chambersburg.

There is no word on why the chicken was thrown, or if the 20-year-old who threw the chicken will face charges. Complete article


MPD: Off-duty police officer Tases shoplifter at Tillmans Corner Alabama Walmart 10/28/2021

TILLMANS CORNER, Ala. (WKRG) — An off-duty Mobile police officer Tased a shoplifter at the Tillmans Corner Oct. 27 a Walmart.

The off-duty officer, who was working a side job at the Rangeline Road Walmart, was notified of a shoplifter around 6 p.m., according to a news release from the Mobile Police Department.

The man ran away when the officer tried to detain him, according to the release. The officer then deployed his Taser and then was able to take him into custody. Complete article


Belpre man arrested following incident with firearm at WV Walmart 10/30/2021

VIENNA – Keith Allen Crace, 51, of Belpre, was arrested Saturday morning after Vienna Police officers responded to Walmart in reference to a male walking through the store with a pistol in his hand.

According to a press release from the Police Department, when officers arrived at the 701 Grand Central Ave. store, patrons were evacuating. Crace was observed inside the store at a distance by Vienna Police and appeared to have a firearm in his hand.

The press release said officers were able to quickly close distance and take the suspect into custody without incident.

Crane was found to be in possession of a loaded .45-caliber pistol. Officers from the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and Parkersburg Police Department responded as well to assist. Complete article


Walmart must pay pharmacist $27.5M for denying her breaks, overtime pay 10/25/2021

The District Court of Central California on Oct. 20 awarded $27.5 million to Afrouz Nikmanesh, PharmD, after she filed a class-action lawsuit against Walmart, her former employer.

Six things to know:

The pharmacist originally filed the case in Orange County Superior Court in 2015. It was later moved to the District Court of Central California, according to Courthouse News Service.

In her complaint, Dr. Nikmanesh said Walmart denied her breaks and overtime wages, gave her inaccurate wage statements and terminated her employment wrongfully. She also said the retail giant forced her to study for and take an immunization certification exam but did not compensate her for this off-the-clock work.

During her time as a Walmart pharmacist, Dr. Nikmanesh drew attention to noncompliance issues, claiming the pharmacy charged Medicare patients above the Medi-Cal reimbursement rate and did not provide eligible beneficiaries with their Medicare discounts. She also said Walmart did not report necessary data to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System, which requires weekly reports to be filed with the state's justice department.

The lawsuit alleged her 2014 termination was a result of her bringing up these issues. Complete article


Pet rescue advocates protest at West Valley Walmart over cat in rafters 10/28/2021

Cat advocates are protesting online and in person about a cat in the loading dock rafters of the West Valley Walmart in Yakima.

The manager at the 6600 W. Nob Hill Blvd. Walmart said the store is trying to capture the cat so it can be adopted. Animal advocates say the store is mishandling the cat rescue.

Depending which side is telling the story, the situation began either Monday, Oct. 18, or Thursday, Oct. 21, when the cat was discovered in the upper rafters of the Walmart loading dock area.

An employee of the store contacted Koda Stacy, owner of Koda’s Rescue Kittys, a Yakima organization that traps and neuters feral cats and then either releases them or gives them to other groups for adoption. .......

Stacy said store officials declined both her assistance and the help of other community organizations, including the Underground Community Cat Rescue and Yakima Valley Pet Rescue groups, for liability reasons. Stacy said the store also turned down help from the city of Yakima’s Animal Control department and instead hired a company to capture the cat. Complete article


Three people took three iPhones from Tx. Walmart using screwdriver, police say 10/26/2021 Three people used a screwdriver to remove three iPhones from display mounts in a store’s electronic section on Oct. 16, according to a police report. The report, which was taken by the Denton Police Department on Sunday, didn’t explain why South Loop 288 Walmart staff didn’t report the theft sooner. Loss prevention staff told Denton police that on Oct. 16, three people went into the store and walked toward the electronics section. The report says the three thieves didn’t see any employees in the area, so they started to remove cellphones from the display mounts but failed.

Police: Georgia man arrested for calling in fake bomb threat to Biloxi Mississippi Walmart 10/27/2021

Loyd trial: Defense now focusing on scene at the Fla. Walmart where Lt. Clayton was gunned down in January 2017 10/29/2021

'We've been in a firefight': How Walmart's benefits shifted in response to COVID 10/28/2021

Shoplifter sentenced in bizarre Tx. Walmart thefts 10/28/2021

An Idaho Walmart fuel center employee helps a mother in need and is honored for Feel Good Friday 10/2/2021

Worcester Mass. homeless camps scattered Walmart Walgreens services 10/30/2021 WORCESTER — On Wednesday, Oct. 20, a homeless encampment near Walmart was cleared. Members of the city’s Quality of Life Team — a task force that includes a homeless outreach worker; a recovery coach; officers with the Worcester Police Department, including a member of the Crisis Intervention Team; and a nuisance inspector — visited the site to try to connect homeless individuals with services and alert them that the camp was being dismantled.

Pennsylvania State Police investigate incident at Walmart on Downs Drive 10/31/2021

Police Blotter: Mom Watches As Daughter Shoplifts At Tenn. Walmart; Upset Circle K Customer Cracks Lottery Case 10/31/2021

67-year-old Leesburg Fla. man arrested after allegedly running out of Walmart with stolen merchandise 10/31/2021

Walmart Theft In St. Mary's County Under Investigation By Maryland State Police 10/31/2021

Shooting At Florin Road Sacramento Ca. Walmart Leaves Man In Critical Condition 10/31/2021

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man was in critical condition after being shot at the Walmart along Florin Road Sunday night, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department said.

The shooting happened shortly after 8:15 p.m. There has been no arrest, and a description of the suspect was not yet available.

According to the sheriff’s office, the victim was critical but stable and was still in surgery as of 10:30 p.m. His identity is unknown at this time, but he was described as an adult man. Complete article


Chicago Ill. police sergeant charged after allegedly shooting at car thieves in Sam’s Club parking lot 11/01/2021

A Chicago police sergeant was charged with the reckless discharge of a firearm Sunday after allegedly shooting at car thieves in a crowded Sam’s Club parking lot.

Cook County prosecutors said Oneta Sampson Carney, 58, who was off-duty at the time, was loading groceries with her husband into her 2016 Toyota 4Runner at Sam’s Club in Evergreen Park, 9400 S. Western Ave., about 6:45 p.m. Saturday. She was accused of firing at least one shot at her vehicle after three people used a ruse to steal the SUV.

Carney appeared in court Sunday before Judge Arthur Willis, who set bail at $5,000, according to the state’s attorney’s office. Carney is being represented by the Illinois Police Benevolent and Protective Association.

Prosecutors said three men approached the SUV as it sat idling near the store’s entrance. Two men approached the back of the vehicle and offered to help Carney and her husband with their groceries while the third man got in the car and began driving away. Complete article


Machete-wielding man tried to steal wedding rings from Virginia Beach Walmart, police say 10/31/2021

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia Beach man who stole two sets of wedding bands from a Walmart on First Colonial Road pulled out a machete when confronted by store employees.

He also had an accomplice, police say.

The robbery happened October 30 in the 500 block of First Colonial. Police say Frederick Robinson, 42, and Norfolk resident Marcus Conaway, 38, entered the store after getting out of a vehicle that had a grocery bag over its plates. Complete article