Wal-Mart Attack: What Would You Do?

[DFW1911]

THR'ers,

I didn't see this posted anywhere else, so sorry if it's a dupe. Here's a link to a video showing a woman being attacked in a Wal-Mart parking lot:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2008/03/07/dnt.ok.attack.at.walmart.kwtv

The bad guy took off because a witness intervened.

The cops don't know if this was an attempted kidnapping or purse snatching.

I thought I'd post this given the recent "what would you do" threads on THR, not to mention the Wal-Mart Walk (okay, partially kidding about the walk). and the thread on parking lots.

Take care,
DFW1911

 

[Shadowangel]

This happened within a few miles of me. Kind of spooky. My fiance's not old enough to carry yet.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Which Wal-Mart? I used to live on the Air Force Base in OKC. OKC is very bad for crime.

I would have just called 911 and let the police handle it. Isn't that what the gun control liberals say we are supposed to do? It's a shame the victim wasn't carrying her cell phone at the ready, so she could call 911 when attacked.

Ok, actually, if carrying, I would have drawn, two handed grip pointed at the perp and approached yelling to let her go or I will shoot you.

If they let her go and ran off, I would not shoot. If they did not let her go, I would shoot only if I was certain the victim or bystanders were not in danger of being hit. If I couldn't shoot the perp without endangering others, I would probably attempt to shoot a tire on the vehicle - I carry HP's and on asphalt, especially in OKC, there is almost no chance of a ricochet.

 

[NavyLCDR]

It appears as if it was night time as the car's lights were on.

However, here in my city in Washington, 4 military personnel have been robbed using a certain ATM. My theory is the ATM is located just off base and since we cannot carry on base, the perps probably know military persons leaving base aren't armed. The last robbery happened at 4:30 PM and was an armed robbery at that ATM.

How's that for Constitutional rights, our own military personnel cannot protect themselves to and from work because of the No Firearms policy on base.

 

[stevemis]

One would have thought a gorilla like WalMart would have been able to invest a couple of more bucks in their video system. The video presented is of such poor quality that the model of the vehicles cannot even be determined, let alone the identity of the victim or the perps.

No worries, though. I'm sure the video cameras watching over the merchandise are much better. Keep an eye on the Britney Spears CD's, screw the customers..

 

[bladecp]

I hear ya NavyLT. It sucks to not be able to carry to/from work. I was stationed in Mayport/Jax, FL and that is a BAD area.

 

[BigO01]

The bad guy took off because a witness intervened.

Good thing for her he got involved because she would have died from old age waiting for any Walmart "security" to do it's job .

The so called security at my local Walmarts are busy talking on the phone even while driving around the lot , provided they even move their cars , most of the time they park at the extreme back of the lots and just sit there unless they need to use the rest room or get some food .

<edit>

Walmart is nothing but a haven for trash in any major metro area especially at night .

 

[markmc753]

It would all depend on what the WalMart was armed with.. My local Walmart generally has a kindly, "handicapable" greeter in a wheelchair.. I doubt he would attack me, but if he did, I think that I would probably just walk on down to McDonalds and get some fries

 

[ants]

I think the video quality is poor because it is an enlargement of a wide screen video. Parking lots do not typically have cameras fixed on every fourth parking stall.

 

[highorder]

That video reminds me of the saying:

"When seconds count, don't forget that the authorities are just minutes away."

I'll tell you what is clear to most of us;

When seconds count, you need to save yourself.

 

[DFW1911]

The so called security at my local Walmarts are busy talking on the phone even while driving around the lot , provided they even move their cars

You would think that the largest company in the world could afford some decent security for its patrons...especially at night. I guess they'll get the message after they're sued (and lose) a few times.

The only security vehicles I've ever seen at a Wal-Mart are golf carts with yellow lights on top and "security" stenciled on the front. Maybe that will intimidate some bad golfers but doesn't seem to do much for real bad guys.

Thanks,
DFW1911

 

[sacp81170a]

Classic Condition White problem here. Lucky for the woman there was someone close by who was brave enough to get involved. You can tell the people who are going to be victims at the local box mart just by looking around for a couple of minutes. You'll see people wandering around, talking on cell phones, generally acting like they were taking a stroll in their own back yards rather than in a danger zone. That's the first thing I encourage my CCW students to do, go to the nearest Wally World and just observe. Do it for 15 or 20 minutes and the ones who won't make good victims will begin to stick out like sore thumbs. Once you do that, you can begin to pick out which of those are looking for victims and which ones are looking not to be victims. It's as essential an exercise as going to the range to shoot.

 

[bsf]

Considering the exact scenario in the video linked, the attack only lasted a few seconds and a third party had already intervened. I would have gone home.

Considering a similar scenario in which a third party does not intervene, I may call 911. I am considering purchasing a “throw away” phone to use in circumstances where I would prefer to call 911, explain the situation, and leave while remaining anonymous. After the very short call the “throw away” phone would be turned off; later sanitized; and disposed. The gist of it is I am not getting killed for a stranger and not willing to spend the night in jail to help a stranger. Jump into a situation like that shown and you cannot be certain of the outcome.

If it were family, I would respond in defense of them w/o hesitation but not w/ reckless abandon.

 

[Shadowangel]

Er...You can report things to 911 anonymously anyway.. Why would you buy a special phone for that purpose and destroy it after the fact? It's not like anyone would bring up charges on you for not leaping in to fight to the death.

I'd certainly hope if I wasn't there and someone attacked someone I love, someone who saw it happen would care enough to do more than dial a phone and head home to eat dinner.

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

Walmart actually downgraded their security across the country just over a year ago. Their losses have recently skyrocketed (purely by coincidence, I'm sure).

Feel free to ask me how I know.

 

[bloodedsky]

Okay, MASTEROFMALICE, I'm stealthily taking the bait.

How dost thou know?

 

[rainbowbob]

Please remeber this is The High Road

<edit, reference to earlier comment removed>

Aren't the mods supposed to be deleting stuff like this?

<edit>

 

[bsf]

Er...You can report things to 911 anonymously anyway.. Why would you buy a special phone for that purpose and destroy it after the fact? It's not like anyone would bring up charges on you for not leaping in to fight to the death.

Any old phone not in service should work for 911 calls, right? Just need one not linked to me. I would rather not be dragged into criminal investigations. I am not concerned about getting in trouble for not acting heroic enough.

 

[Shadowangel]

Can you name one person ever getting in trouble for JUST calling 911? I doubt it. You have no LEGAL obligation to fight. Being afraid of getting dragged into an investigation over making a phone call to help someone is pretty paranoid. You'd just have to live with yourself knowing you had the means to save a life, and instead made a call and went home for movie night.

 

[Tribal]

Okay, MASTEROFMALICE, I'm stealthily taking the bait.

How dost thou know?

You're a sneaky dude, bloodedsky!

 

[coyotehitman]

One would have thought a gorilla like WalMart would have been able to invest a couple of more bucks in their video system.

Watch "WalMart, the high cost of low pricing".

 

[plexreticle]

If I were looking to get robbed I would got to a walmart at night.

They seem to be a magnet for crimes.

 

[rollback88]

Seems the know-it-all isn't sharing. Probably because he is wrong. Wal-Mart's change in "security" was with regard to prosecuting petty theft cases (less than $25). Some stores have the parking lot rovers, others have off-duty police, and the rest have just the cameras (that are perfectly capable of providing all the detail required).

Wal-Mart is a retail store in the United States of America, not a maximum security facility. Neither is K-Mart, Target, Dillards, Best Buy, Sportsman's Warehouse, Home Depot, Lowe's, Kroger, Alberstons, Ralphs, Meijer, Frye, Kohl's, JCPenney, Sears, McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Ruth's Cris, or Chuck E Cheese.

For a bunch of folks who say they are for freedom and the absence of big brother-type interferences, what's with the whining? Oh, I forget, Wal-Mart is baaaaaaad.

There are bad guys - always have been - always will be. Do you want the freedom to protect yourself or do you REALLY want the Wal-Mart's of the world to handle that for you?

Unlike most malls, at least Wal-Mart allows customers to exercise their right to carry and take responsibility for their own protection.

Proud to be a Wal-Mart Associate

--jcd

 

[rainbowbob]

Wal-Mart is a retail store in the United States of America, not a maximum security facility...Oh, I forget, Wal-Mart is baaaaaaad.

I don't give a crap about Wal-Mart one way or the other. Like the man said - it's just a store. Provide your own security - isn't that what those of who post here all believe in?

 

[lenziggy]

Can't carry concealed in Texas Walmarts.