Walmart's practice of apprehending shoppers at the door and demanding receipts has grown violent recently. In my first ever foray into a Wally World about a month ago, I was accosted by an old lady at the door who clasped my wrist as if I was stealing her life savings.
Now it appears as if things have gotten worse.
Wake Up Walmart, with whom I'm working, is linking to this Al Norman post today:
A 38 year old caucasian man, identified as Russell S. Palmer, died Monday night, February 2nd while struggling with two Wal-Mart security guards as the result of an alleged shoplifting incident.
The fatality was a repetition of a similar death-by-shoplifting scene that took place less than two months ago in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when 53 year old Patrick Donovan died while being wrestled to the pavement by Wal-Mart employees.
I don't know if these men were innocent or not. All I know if that three deaths at America's No. 1 retailer and No. 1 employee in a matter of months (the 3rd one was Jdimytai Damour on Black Friday) is simply unacceptable.
Walmart needs to clean up its ugly business practices. Walmart needs to find a social conscience.