Earlier this week, a disgruntled Walmart employee was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma after she allegedly threatened to shoot a co-worker. The woman, identified as Adrienne Edwards, reportedly made the threats after being disciplined by supervisors for being "mouthy," according to local police.
Edwards' threatening statements were overheard by multiple witnesses, who promptly contacted authorities. When police arrived at the Walmart store, they found Edwards sitting in her car near the front entrance. During questioning, she admitted to making the threats.
As a result of her actions, Edwards is facing charges of threatening a violent act. Her arrest comes amidst the busy holiday shopping season, a period typically associated with increased stress, retail theft, and even violence in the retail industry.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), retail workers are particularly vulnerable to workplace violence, especially those employed at convenience stores and gas stations where alcohol is sold.
In light of this heightened risk, the Department of Labor strongly advises taking all threats seriously.
While the majority of workplace violence incidents stem from robbery attempts, there have been instances of deadly exceptions.
Earlier on Monday, a man wielding a rifle entered a Walmart store in Ohio and shot four people before taking his own life, according to police in Beavercreek, near Dayton. Three of the victims sustained stable injuries, while the fourth remained in critical condition.
In a separate incident, a man fatally shot a woman during her lunch break at a Walmart store in Anchorage, Alaska, before turning the gun on himself, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Police believe the incident was a domestic violence-related homicide.
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