Accused Thief Dies After Fight With Walmart Workers

Alleged shoplifter was placed in choke hold, police say
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 26, 2012 1:32 AM CST
Accused Thief Dies After Fight With Walmart Workers
"This is truly a sad situation," a Walmart spokeswoman says.   (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Walmart has suspended two employees and fired a contract security guard after the death of an alleged shoplifter at a store near Atlanta. Police say a "physical altercation" took place in the store's parking lot after the middle-aged man took two DVD players, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. When police arrived on the scene, they found the trio on top of the unresponsive man, who had been placed in a chokehold by the security officer.

"No amount of merchandise is worth someone’s life," a Walmart spokeswoman said, stressing that it is early in the investigation into the incident and some facts are still unclear. "Associates are trained to disengage from situations that would put themselves or others at risk." (More Walmart stories.)

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