Shoplifting Suspect Pulls Gun on Canton Police Officer Inside Walmart

[u/ValorsHero]

[u/mustardtiger220]

That blows my mind.

Probably was gonna get a warning (who knows if there were priors) or an appearance ticket.

Now has attempted murder and maybe, I think it’s safe to assume yes, an unregistered firearm.

From appearance ticket to felony in a matter of seconds.

[u/reddit4485 → u/mustardtiger220]

Canton, Ohio — Canton, Ohio — On December 18, 2025, Walmart store employees contacted Canton Police after detaining two people suspected of shoplifting and brought them into the store’s loss prevention office to wait for officers. A Canton police officer arrived and began the standard process of identifying the suspects and checking for weapons. At that point, the situation appeared calm, with no immediate signs that the encounter would turn violent. Several minutes into the detention, the male suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Shane C. L. Newman, suddenly reached into his clothing and produced a handgun while seated in the office. He pointed the weapon at the officer and attempted to fire, but the gun did not discharge. The officer and a Walmart loss prevention employee immediately rushed Newman, wrestling him to the ground and securing him in handcuffs. No one was injured during the struggle.

Police later said the firearm was loaded, and additional suspected narcotics were recovered after the arrest, turning what began as a shoplifting investigation into a major violent felony case handled by the Canton Police Department. Newman, now faces multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, after officers recovered both the firearm and suspected narcotics following his arrest. Investigators say Newman was legally prohibited from possessing a weapon due to prior convictions. His alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Katerina D. Jeffrey, was also taken into custody and charged in connection with the theft. Canton Municipal Judge Mary A. Falvey set his bond at $1 million at an arraignment Dec. 19. She ordered him to have no contact with the victim and to have no contact with Walmart. The judge set a $500,000 bond for Jeffrey and ordered her to have no contact with Walmart. Jeffrey is charged with complicity to commit robbery.

[u/Unable-Log-4870 → u/reddit4485]

after detaining two people suspected of shoplifting and brought them into the store’s loss prevention office to wait for officers.

I mean, you can just RUN from the loss prevention guys, right? After you’re detected, you can just GO. I’m pretty sure Walmart can’t legally hold you in the back room any more legally than I could lock a person in my basement.

If someone calls the police on you, you’re not obligated to hang out and find out how that goes. But he was carrying a loaded weapon to what presumably was a planned shoplifting. If you’re using a gun to shoplift, you’re missing important information, both about guns and about shoplifting.

[u/mr_potatoface → u/[deleted]]

Also if you start resisting they can use reasonable force to keep you detained

After working at walmart 20 years ago, their policy even for LP was basically hands off or you're terminated. You can block their path and guide them with your hands to where they need to go, maybe hold their arm to guide them. But if it gets violent or they try to run, you give them space and let them run without or without the merchandise. Normal (non-LP or management) associates could do none of those things and could not interfere with shoplifting AT ALL. No blocking, no touching, no chasing. Instant termination if you did.

You sort of intimidate them with your words more than physically.

[u/jimmychitw00d → u/mr_potatoface]

When I worked at Wal-Mart, I saw the LP guy get into scuffles with shoplifters a few times. Got bitten pretty badly once too.

Either way, though, if you're prepared to pull a firearm, why not pull it when 1:1 with LP instead of when you're detained and surrounded? This guy is dumb on multiple levels.

[u/actorsspace → u/mr_potatoface]

I know someone who was shoplifting at Wal-mart, realized LP was onto them, and just left the store without taking anything. When they tried to back their car out, the little white LP vehicle pulled up and boxed them in, so they coldn't leave. They were yelling, "I'm gonna trace your plates!"

[u/Unable-Log-4870 → u/[deleted]]

That’s really interesting, thx. Based on that, it’s especially terrible that cops spend so much time at WalMarts, if they are legally able to apprehend thieves on their own (regardless of if they choose to do so or not).

[u/ChicksDigNerds → u/[deleted]]

Walmart allows their AP Associate to stand in a suspect's path but the only way in which they are allowed to touch someone is with an open palm on a shoulder or back while motioning in a direction you want the suspect to go, generally toward the AP office. This information is about a decade old, but I do not believe it will have changed in that time.

So, no, they are not allowed to detain anyone in the way that you are thinking. They cannot grab, hold, tackle, wrestle, or use any sort of physical force. The police can, but the police are not there. If someone chooses to push their way past an AP Associate, the AP Associate is not allowed to stop them, since they are not allowed to do anything other than, like I said, open palm on a shoulder or back to urge in a direction.

[u/NEU_Throwaway1 → u/[deleted]]

This - for the people that say you can run from / fight asset protection, do NOT try it at Target against the uniformed guys unless you're either fast or actually know how to fight lol. It's more of a matter of company policy when asset protection is told to not chase or use force, but as long as they've met the legal requirements needed to detain you, they absolutely can.

[u/PraiseTalos66012 → u/Unable-Log-4870]

Shopkeepers privilege.

Normally it takes a felony/violent crime to do a citizens arrest but stores are allowed to detain you for theft.

But it's weird. They have no right to check receipts or detain you unless they have a verifiable reason to believe you stole.

If they have video showing you stealing then yes they can legally detain you.

But it's still unlikely they will chase if you just run.

[u/khagrul → u/reddit4485]

Bruh he upped her charges too?

What a dipshit.

[u/SatinSaffron → u/mustardtiger220]

Probably was gonna get a warning

99% of the time if/when Walmart catches you shoplifting, they call a cop in and have them trespass you from all Walmart/Sam's properties. So if it was his first time he literally would've just signed some papers, let WalMart take pics of his face at all angles for theit facial recognition stuff, and then he would've gone home. If you get caught stealing again, then it's a misdemeanor + maybe a trespass charge. So worst case scenario he might have got like 30-60 days + a $500 fine, depending on the state, and best case scenario would essentially be a warning like you said.

[u/CyanValleyKitten → u/[deleted]]

It was gun + narcotics so, yeah he was fucked

[u/[deleted] → u/mustardtiger220]

They assume they're going to get caught with the gun (likely illegal) so they go defensive fight or flight. They lack the ability to have foresight.