Amid the conveniences and low prices that large retail chains like Walmart offer, lurks a disconcerting narrative of unchecked aggression and an alarming absence of customer safety – a narrative that 70-year-old P.K. Shader can attest to in brutal detail.
Shader reports being brutally assaulted by a teenage employee at Walmart, bringing to light serious concerns over the store’s security measures and its handling of disruptive employees. This alarming tale unraveled after a verbal dispute escalated to physical assault, with Shader, a white woman, alleging that she was ruthlessly punched in the face by the black teen employee, while bystanders watched without intervening.
Shader is now resolved to broadcast her horrifying experience, urging anyone witnessing such violent incidents at Walmart to prioritize safety and intervene in defense of the victim. Her intention is to raise awareness about security issues pervading Walmart outlets nationwide, beginning with the Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin store where her ordeal took place.
Following the assault, local law enforcement responded to a call at around 7 pm, with reports detailing an elderly woman being pummeled in the head by an irate Walmart staff member. Although Shader sustained injuries to her head and face, she declined medical assistance upon police arrival. Her immediate demand was for the law enforcement officers to apprehend the offending Walmart worker.
Identified as 17-year-old cashier Jazareia Velasquez, the alleged assailant apparently lost control after Shader requested Velasquez’s manager to lodge a complaint about a hostile exchange with the teen cashier. As Shader waited for her checkout, she attempted to photograph Velasquez without her permission, a move that triggered the reported violent reaction.
Shader graphically described the incident saying, “She went crazy. She flew, and she punched me, fist right here [in the face] over and over again. I’m never walking into Walmart again, that’s for sure.” The assault left a severe impact on her, both physically and psychologically.
Given Shader’s account and her evident injuries, police had no choice but to believe her side of the story. Consequently, Velasquez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault of an elderly person and disorderly conduct.
However, the physical assault was not the only shocking experience for Shader that day. She expressed astonishment that none of the bystanders, even the Walmart coworkers, stepped in to intervene despite allegedly being aware of Velasquez’s volatile temperament. This incident raises severe questions about the recruitment and management policies of Walmart and the safety of its customers.
In a heartfelt appeal, Shader asked, “What if it was your grandmother? What if it was your mother?… The managers knew she was a loose cannon. The first manager said nothing. The second one told me so. So, why did they keep an employee like that? That’s a bigger problem than not having security.”
Currently recuperating from the assault, Shader insists that such incidents should not befall any other elderly shoppers at Walmart. Her message to the public is clear: “I just want to tell people: ‘Pull out your phone. Give somebody a break.’ No one’s asking you to dive in and be hurt, but pull out your phone and document it and yell, ‘Call the police.'”
Her hope is that through sharing her distressing experience, she can incite change and ensure the safety of other shoppers in these mega-stores.
WATCH the video below for more details:
Source: AWM
Thomas Cooper