A man allegedly caught shoplifting at Walmart in Lakeland, Florida died when he fell down while being chased by employees on Sunday morning (Feb 7).
According to News Channel 8, Police responded to a call made to them at 3:05 a.m. on Feb. 7 regarding a suspected shoplifter in custody outside the Walmart located at 5800 N. Rd. 98 in Lakeland, Florida.
Walmart is cooperating with the police and several Walmart employees have been temporarily suspended. This is apparently standard procedure until the investigation reaches an outcome.
Kenneth Wisham, 64, had allegedly been shoplifting DVDs worth $380 from Walmart when he was confronted by the store's employees.
He ran to escape and finally fell down, which is when the employees realized he wasn't breathing.
Police said it was just like a homicide investigation. "He died during the commission of a criminal act," Police Sgt. Gary Gross said. "It is very unfortunate for us, for the community, that this happened - especially for those employees at Walmart that had to deal with this."
The employees, cops and EMS reportedly tried their best to resuscitate Wisham but to no avail. He died 12 hours later at Lakeland Regional Health.
Lakeland police later retracted the earlier statement they had made about the department's Violent Crimes Unit investigating the death as a homicide. They have now said they will wait for the medical examiner's full report.
An autopsy had revealed earlier that the alleged shoplifter at Walmart did not die as a result of any medical condition.
Walmart has also issued a statement, in which it offers its condolences to the family, and claim to be cooperating with the police as well as performing a review of their own. It also said it had suspended all associates involved in the incident as details are being sought.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is being asked to come forward to the police, and to call Det. Stacy Pough at 863-834-8978.
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