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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWal-Mart Worker Fired for Helping Assaulted Woman.
Kristopher Oswald, 30, said he was in his car on his break around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when he saw a man grabbing a woman in the parking lot of the Hartland Township store.
Oswald said he asked the woman if she needed help and the man started punching him in the head and yelling that he was going to kill him. Oswald said he was able to get on top of the man, but then two other men jumped him from behind.
Livingston County sheriffs deputies eventually arrived on the scene and halted the fight.
Oswald said Walmart has policies against workplace violence to prevent employees from assaulting co-workers or tackling a shoplifter, but that it appears that nothing allows for them to assist in situations of imminent danger and self-defense.
A spokeswoman for Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart Stores Inc. told The Associated Press on Thursday that while the company understood Oswalds intentions, his actions violated company policy.
Link: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/10/18/walmart-worker-says-he-was-fired-for-helping-assaulted-woman/
Benton D Struckcheon
(2,347 posts)So if he does nothing that woman is beaten up and worse, more than likely, but if he does something, he gets fired. What a world.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)and customers. Money does not aways correlate with intelligence.
BlueToTheBone
(3,747 posts)Shampoobra
(423 posts)It seems to me the argument could be made that Walmart has demonstrated a lack of commitment to the safety of its customers: that the property has been made a safe haven for criminals, due to Walmart's policy forbidding its employees to intervene in an attack.
I mean, I realize they're not being paid to be security guards. But any citizen should have the right to help another, regardless of whose property the assault happens on, and regardless of where he or she works when the crime is committed.
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)only to monitor possible union activity. I watched a story on Wal Mart and one of the former managers was commenting on the lack of security and deaths that may have been prevented. When they asked him about whether a specific store had a camera, he said they have the union package, which I guess is cameras that aren't monitored by store security guards for crime, but by store personnel for possible union recruiting. Dear Lord, how do those folks sleep at night.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)He's got to be nuts to intervene with Walmart customers at 2:30 am. He should just call 911.
Did the woman press charges against the alleged assailants?
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/10/kristopher-oswald-walmart-worker-fired-after-helping-woman-fend-off-attacker-95579.html
http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/Walmart-employee-Kristopher-Oswald-fired-after-trying-to-help-assault-victim-in-parking-lot
RiffRandell
(5,909 posts)How many fights occur after bars close? Who knows if they were even customers...they could have been in the parking lot for several reasons. It seems the guy was just trying to help someone in a dangerous situation. I don't know the answer to your question as none of the links (including mine) say if the woman pressed charges.
Your post reminds me of the Kitty Genovese murder and the "bystander effect', although the reports on that case changed several times over the years.
What happened to the black man that got into a car accident recently who went to a woman's door late at night for help?
She called 911 and the police came and shot him 10 times and killed him.
Not saying 911 shouldn't have been called, and I'd like to know who called, but at least this guy tried to help.
JPZenger
(6,819 posts)Yes, Wal-Mart is just plain wrong on this case, and I'm sure the CEO will make an apology soon for the TV cameras.
In any case, there is some evidence that the neighbors were not so uncaring in the Genovese murder than initial reports had indicated. There were actually a couple different attacks on her - a shouting neighbor scared off the attacker at first. The murder later occurred at a spot where fewer neighbors could hear it. According to some reports, some neighbors did call police.
Scroll down this article to read more:
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2012/09/tall-tales.aspx
Rex
(65,616 posts)nt.